Elderly Armenian Woman Dies in Azerbaijan-Occupied Stepanakert: A Dark Reminder of Artsakh’s Ongoing Struggles

An elderly Armenian woman, one of the few who remained in Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh’s capital, after it came under Azerbaijani invasion, has passed away. Vera Aghasyan, born in 1954, died on the morning of October 20, 2024, according to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Health.

A forensic medical examination revealed that Aghasyan died of acute pulmonary heart failure caused by pulmonary artery thrombosis. Her death marks a sorrowful moment for those left behind in a region that has faced immense aggression in recent years.

Aghasyan was one of the few Armenians who remained in Stepanakert following Azerbaijan's invasion of Artsakh (also known as Nagorno-Karabakh) in September 2023. After weeks of intense fighting, Azerbaijani forces took control of the indegnous Armenian region, leading to the forced displacement of tens of thousands of Armenians who had called the area home for generations.

Many of the residents fled to Armenia, seeking safety and stability after years of aggression and war. However, for some, particularly the elderly and infirm, the journey was too difficult. The forcible displacement from their homes, combined with health challenges, left individuals like Aghasyan with no choice but to stay behind in a land now controlled by Azerbaijan. They chose to remain in familiar surroundings, even under invasion, unable to endure the hardships of evacuation.

The September 2023 occupation by Azerbaijan represented a dramatic shift in control, following years of war and ceasefires that failed to establish lasting peace. The invasion of Nagorno-Karabakh led to one of the largest forced migrations in the region’s recent history, with Armenians fearing for their safety under the Azerbaijani rule. The takeover also raised concerns over the future of the Armenian cultural heritage in the region and the fate of those Armenians left behind.

While the majority of the Armenian population has fled to Armenia, a small number of people, mainly elderly or ill, were unable to leave. These individuals have found themselves isolated, living in a place that was once their home but is now under the control of a government they do not identify with.

The humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh has become dire for those who stayed. With limited access to healthcare, food, and basic services, many Armenians who remained are vulnerable. Aghasyan’s death is a dark reminder of the fragile existence that those left behind in Stepanakert endure.