Thousands of dead in Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict

The Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict has killed thousands in both countries after six weeks of intense fighting. The highly contested Nagorno-Karabakh region that had been under the control of Armenia is being handed over to Azerbaijan, which is part of the ceasefire agreement. Thousands of civilians are leaving the area, and the distraught departing residents are setting their houses on fire to render them unusable to the Azerbaijanis who would move in by November 25. There are broad concerns about the cultural and religious sites, especially by Christians of the Armenian Apostolic Church monastery, which dates back to the ninth century. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has assured Russian President Vladimir Putin that Christian churches will be protected. Azerbaijan is 90% Muslim, and Armenia is mostly Christian.