dpa
Kiev
An ambulance convoy carrying wounded Amenian soldiers from the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan made its way toward Armenia on Sunday accompanied by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), according to the Armenian Health Ministry.
The fighters were wounded during Azerbaijan’s recent military operation to take control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is considered Azerbaijan’s territory under international law but is largely inhabited by Armenians.
Control of the region has long been contested between the two ex-Soviet republics.
There are reportedly 23 wounded in the convoy. On Saturday, the ICRC had helped transport wounded soldiers from across Karabakh to the regional capital of Stepanakert.
Last Tuesday, the authoritarian-led Azerbaijan launched a military operation to seize the region. Only one day later, the defeated Karabakh Armenians surrendered.
Azerbaijan promised to allow the wounded to leave the region and go to Armenia. According to Armenian sources, more than 200 people died during the brief fighting and more than 400 others were injured.
At the United Nations in New York on Saturday, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan accused the international community of inaction following Azerbaijan’s military operation.
Mirzoyan called for a UN mission to "monitor and access the human rights, humanitarian and security situation on the ground.” The "truly devastating developments” in the region have shown that the "issues cannot be addressed merely with statements and generic calls,” Mirzoyan said.