CNN  — 

The president of ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, Samvel Shahramanyan, issued a decree Thursday effectively dissolving the self-proclaimed republic.

Shahramanyan’s decree calls for all institutions and organizations of the state, which is not recognized internationally, to dissolve by January 1 2024.

“The Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) ceases its existence,” read the decree, which was shared on Facebook by the “Republic of Artsakh” government.

Shahramanyan said the decision had been made “due to the current difficult military-political situation, based on the priority of providing physical security” to the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and agreements made with Azerbaijan for the “free, unconstrained, and unhindered passing of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh, including the militants who laid down their weapons, with their property and transportation means through Lachin corridor.”

More than half of the ethnic Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh has left the enclave for Armenia in the past days, after Azerbaijan launched a military offensive and said it had reclaimed full control of the breakaway region last week.

This is a developing story. More to follow.

Aren Melikyan contributed reporting.