At least 3400 left jobless due to Karabakh blockade

PanARMENIAN.Net - At least 3,400 people have lost their jobs and source of income due to the dire economic situation in Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) after the blockade of Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan, preliminary data suggests.

726 businesses (or 17.7% of total) have suspended operations due to the impossibility of working under the blockade.

Since December 12, the sole road connecting Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia - the Lachin Corridor - has been blocked by self-described Azerbaijani environmentalists. Karabakh residents have reported food and fuel shortages, while hospital patients don't have access to essential medicines, with only a handful allowed transfer to facilities in Armenia proper.

The Artsakh government said on Monday, January 16 that more than 14,000 tons of vital goods would have arrived in Artsakh had it not been for the closure of the road. Only a small part of that was delivered by the International Committee of the Red Cross and Russian peacekeeping troops.