Iran Press/ Asia: The death toll from the blast rose to 68 on Tuesday, the office of Karabakh’s ombudsman said. At least 105 people were missing and 290 others wounded, it said.
The explosion happened outside the regional capital of Stepanakert – called Khankendi by Azerbaijan – late on Monday. The depot was being used to distribute fuel to those who wanted to leave the region by car. Hundreds of people were gathered there when the explosion took place.
Last week’s offensive came after a months-long blockade of the region by Azerbaijan that caused shortages of essential supplies.
“As a result of the explosion, Azerbaijan prepared nearby local hospitals and started negotiations on the evacuation of the wounded, but representatives of the Armenian residents of Karabakh did not accept this proposal,” said Al Jazeera’s correspondent Osama bin Javaid, reporting from the Azerbaijani city of Horadiz.
The announcement of the death toll came as thousands of people continued to flee the region, with Armenia saying that 28,120 ethnic Armenians had entered the country. The government also said it would provide accommodation for all those in need.
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Nagorno-Karabakh blast leaves more than 200 injured as thousands flee to Armenia
