Enemy Forces Have Taken Positions Near Nerkin Khndzoresk, Uncertainty Remains Regarding Territorial Losses, Says Khndzoresk Mayor

Near the village of Nerkin Khndzoresk in the Syunik region, Azerbaijani soldiers have set up tents, with border adjustments currently taking place. The mayor of Khndzoresk, Ervand Malunts, stated in an interview with Tert.am that they had previously had advantages in the area, but now they are measuring the territory using GPS, indicating that the Armenians must retreat.

“Two days ago, the enemy stated that the positions near Nerkin Khndzoresk belonged to them. They asked us how much time we would need to withdraw, and we said three hours. However, they have not communicated since that day,” he explained.

The mayor added, “It is true that this GPS does not correspond to reality; it is not to our liking, but they are guided by it now. What can we do? I can take my village’s map and show it, but the Azerbaijani says, ‘Perhaps you brought a map that denotes the territory up to Kubatlu; we are using this one as a basis now.’”

According to Malunts, there is no panic in the village, but issues have arisen concerning grazing lands. “There is a problem in leading livestock to grazing areas; they do not know what to do because the grazing lands have been reduced. These areas are now right next to the border, and the villagers previously used the liberated territories, but now they cannot. People have been deprived of their source of income,” he lamented.

When asked if the government is taking any steps to assist the residents of Khndzoresk, the mayor responded, “They are aware of the issue, but whether they will help or not, I do not know. At this moment, there is nothing. The grazing lands are minimal; the entire village has only 88 hectares of grazing land, which is insufficient for the livestock. They are considering either selling the animals or removing them from the village, but they cannot find a place to relocate them.”

Malunts noted that the village consists of 36 families, four of whom are from the Hadrut region of Artsakh, totaling 40 houses. He stated that there has been no emigration yet, as people are waiting for the government to provide support. “If they cannot keep the livestock, they need to find another source of income. They need to help; I don’t know, there is still no talk about this at the moment,” he added.

In response to a clarifying question about how many grazing lands will remain with the enemy from Nerkin Khndzoresk, he answered, “It has not yet been determined how much territory will pass to the enemy; the line has not been drawn yet, so we don’t know how much loss we have.”

When asked if he had been warned in advance as the community leader that territories would need to be ceded to the enemy, he stated that this is a question for the Ministry of Defense. “They come to carry out these actions, and as the director of two villages, I have my involvement. I go myself to see whether it corresponds to reality; even one meter is a problem for me.”