Packed cars, burning houses: Armenians leave occupied Azerbaijani lands

Azerbaijan completed reclaiming territory ceded by Armenia under a Russia-brokered peace deal that ended six weeks of fierce fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh. Under the agreement, Armenia had to hand over three districts – Aghdam, Lachin and Kalbajar. Scenes were quite similar in all three regions right before the handover with Armenians packing their belongings and burning and destroying buildings they were leaving behind.

A family drives a truck loaded with a small house along a highway as they leave their home village in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Nov. 18, 2020, before a cease-fire takes effect to halt weeks of fighting.

An Armenian couple loads planks on an old Soviet-era Moskvich car as smoke rises from a burning house in Qızıloba (Karmiravan) village, as ethnic Armenians leave the area prior to the Azerbaijani forces being handed control in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Nov. 19, 2020.

A man dismantles a cross from the roof of his house in Qızıloba (Karmiravan) village, as ethnic Armenians leave the the area prior to the Azerbaijani forces being handed control in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Nov. 19, 2020.

Flame rises from a burning house in Qızıloba (Karmiravan) village, as ethnic Armenians leave the the area prior to the Azerbaijani forces being handed control in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Nov. 19, 2020.

A man walks past a burning house in Qızıloba (Karmiravan) village, as ethnic Armenians leave the the area prior to the Azerbaijani forces being handed control in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Nov. 19, 2020.

Smoke and flame rise from a burning house in an area once occupied by Armenian forces but soon to be turned over to Azerbaijan, in Kalbajar, the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Nov. 13, 2020.

Cars and trucks stuck in a huge traffic jam climbing along the road from Kalbajar to a mountain pass leaving the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan to Armenia, Nov. 14, 2020.

Armenians load a museum piece to move it to Armenia at Tigranakert, a city dating back to the Hellenistic period, in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Nov. 18, 2020.

A house burns after being set on fire by departing Armenians in the town of Lachin, Azerbaijan, Nov. 30, 2020.

Smoke rises from a burning house as cars and trucks stuck in a huge traffic jam climbing along the road from Kalbajar leaving the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan to Armenia, Nov. 14, 2020.

A car loaded with belongings moves on a road in front of the town of Lachin, Azerbaijan, Nov. 30, 2020.

Ethnic Armenian residents destroy the building of a gas station before leaving the area, prior to the Azerbaijani forces being handed control, in Aghdam, in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Nov. 19, 2020.

An Armenian man reacts and presses the cross to his chest, with his car packed as he prepares to abandon his home in the village of Shikharkh (Maraga), in the Aghdara area, in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Nov. 18, 2020.

A man holds an icon from the Dadivank, an Armenian Apostolic Church monastery dating to the 9th century, as ethnic Armenians leave the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan to Armenia, Nov. 14, 2020.

People look at bells, removed form the Dadivank, an Armenian Apostolic Church monastery dating to the 9th century, as ethnic Armenians leave the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan to Armenia, Nov. 14, 2020.

A car loaded with belongings moves on a road in front of the town of Lachin, Azerbaijan, with the burning houses in the background set on fire by departing Armenians, Nov. 30, 2020.

Ethnic Armenian farmers collect pomegranate at their garden in village of Karakend (Berdashen) in Kalbajar district, Azerbaijan, Nov. 24, 2020.

People with their belongings wait on the side of a road on the outskirts of Lachin, Azerbaijan, Nov. 30, 2020.

Houses burn after being set on fire by departing Armenians in the town of Lachin, Azerbaijan, Nov. 30, 2020.

Armenians drive a truck loaded with furniture and other items on a road in the town of Lachin, Azerbaijan, Nov. 30, 2020.