Khramort villagers insist on security guarantees for returning home

Should Nagorno-Karabakh authorities and Russian peacemakers provide security guarantees, the evacuated residents of the Khramort community plan to return to the village in order to engage in farming without fear of being shelled by Azerbaijani militaries.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 8, due to shelling, Khramort villagers were evacuated. After March 15, they began returning home, but on March 24, Karabakh claimed that Azerbaijani militaries had violated the contact line in the Askeran District.

Gegam Stepanyan, the Nagorno-Karabakh Ombudsperson, has informed that the women, children and old people from the village of Khramort are still in evacuation, while men are involved in security measures. According to Mr Stepanyan, it is not yet known when Khramort villagers will be able to return home.

Zorik Abramyan, the head of the Khramort community, said that the village has not been shelled in recent days, but the situation remains tense.

Gayane Tigranyan, a nurse, was unable to leave Khramort because she is a medic, and her skills can come in handy here. "Until the peacemakers achieve that Azerbaijani militaries return to their initial positions, it is impossible to talk about a safe life in Khramort," she believes.

A few days ago, Lena Oganyan returned to Khramort without children. She says that she can go to her relatives in other villages, but she cannot do without her home.

Tamar Petrosyan, a widow and a mother of two children, evacuated from Khramort on March 24.

"Right above the village, on the top of Mount Karaglukh, there are Azeri military posts; and my house is under their direct gunpoint. I'm not sure that the village is safe," she said.