Action Against Hunger warns about military escalation and limitations on humanitarian access to aid the population of Nagorno Karabakh

Action Against Hunger condemns the attacks on the population in Nagorno-Karabakh, where in the past months they have already suffered greatly from a lack of freedom of movement.

We remind all parties that civilians should never be targeted, after bombings and drone attacks were reported today in two towns in Nagorno-Karabakh.

As Marcella Maxfield, Regional Director for Action Against Hunger South Caucasus Mission, states, “For the past three years we have been supporting families who have fled Nagorno Karabakh and who have had to rebuild their lives in Armenia. A long-lasting solution needs to be urgently found to this unresolved conflict so that the people in the region can start to live and prosper in a peaceful and secure environment”.

“The Action Against Hunger team on the ground in Armenia has been following closely the most recent developments in Nagorno-Karabakh and we strongly condemn the attacks on the civilian population today, which further worsens an already dire situation. Access is imperative – now more so than before – to ensure that humanitarian assistance can reach the affected people”.

Action Against Hunger has been denouncing for months the closure of the Lachin corridor – Nagorno Karabakh’s only means of communication with Armenia – which has created a humanitarian crisis that puts the 120,000 people at high risk and severely limits their access to essential goods and services.

In addition, the worsening situation has increased the psychosocial and mental health care needs of the population and severe restrictions on humanitarian assistance have resulted in food shortages and the displacement of many people – a trend that will only increase if attacks on the population and that limitations on humanitarian access continue.

Action Against Hunger in South Caucasus

Our organisation has been providing humanitarian aid in Armenia to support displaced people from Nagorno-Karabakh since the resumption of the conflict in 2020, when it began providing food, health, and hygiene supplies to those fleeing the conflict. These activities were expanded to include the establishment of safe spaces for children and families, as well as social protection and explosive ordnance awareness.

In addition to our interventions in the South Caucasus as a whole, Action Against Hunger has always remained vocal about the consequences of not addressing this forgotten humanitarian crisis as soon as possible.