As thousands of people are forced to flee their homes in the embattled Nagorno-Karabakh region, a senior US official has warned of a growing concern over severe malnutrition among internally displaced persons. Speaking in a briefing on Friday, US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip T. Reeker voiced his concern about the “increasingly dire situation” in the region, which is currently the theater of a sharp conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. “We’re working with international partners such as the Red Cross to get food, water, shelter, and other assistance to those who need it,” he said. “But the conditions are really terrible. We’re hearing reports of severe malnutrition among those who’ve been internally displaced.” Reeker went on to urge the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan to come together and negotiate an immediate cessation of violence to alleviate the suffering of those affected by the conflict.
