Thousands of Armenians in Karabakh mass at airport after ceasefire deal

FILE PHOTO: Civilians get out of a truck during an evacuation performed by Russian peacekeepers at an unknown location following the launch of a military operation by Azerbaijani forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, a region inhabited by ethnic Armenians, in this still image from video published September 20, 2023. Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS

YEREVAN (Reuters) - Thousands of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh on Wednesday massed at the airport where some Russian peacekeepers are based after separatist forces agreed to a ceasefire which would see them surrender to Azerbaijan.

Separatists running the self-styled "Republic of Artsakh" urged the population of 120,000 not to rush to the airport in the capital which they call Stepanakert.