Karabakh rebels negotiate withdrawing their forces

KORNIDZOR, Armenia: Nagorno-Karabakh separatists said on Friday they were negotiating the withdrawal of their troops from the disputed enclave after Azerbaijan reclaimed control in a lightning offensive. Azerbaijan on Thursday held a first round of “reintegration” talks with the ethnic-Armenian rebels after they agreed to lay down their arms in the face of the day-long military assault.

The separatists said they were in talks with Baku to organise the withdrawal process and the return of civilians displaced by the fighting. The announcement came after a spokeswoman for the breakaway region said Azerbaijan´s forces were stationed on the outskirts of main city Stepanakert and the humanitarian situation was “horrible”.

An AFP reporter in the separatist stronghold said food, water, medicine and fuel for the panicked population were scarce and displaced people had arrived in the city from surrounding villages.