Witness describes chaotic conditions at Georgia-Armenia border crossing as children wait for hours

Hundreds of travelers, including children returning from festivals in Georgia, were forced to wait for hours in overcrowded and poorly ventilated conditions at the Sadakhlo border crossing between Georgia and Armenia, according to an eyewitness aaccout.

Panorama.am reported late on Monday that severe congestion developed at the Sadakhlo checkpoint, where large numbers of passengers were attempting to cross into Armenia.

Nune Avetisyan, who had traveled to Kobuleti a week earlier with her child to attend a children's dance festival, said hundreds of people were packed into a glass-enclosed area with little or no ventilation.

According to Avetisyan, several buses carrying children, parents and teachers returning from festivals and concerts arrived at the crossing at roughly the same time, creating long lines.

"There was exhaustion, crying, pushing, people who were nervous and half-asleep, and shouting," Avetisyan told Panorama.am, describing the atmosphere as families waited for several hours. She said Georgian border officials processed travelers slowly, contributing to the delays.

Avetisyan contrasted the return journey with their departure a week earlier. She said Armenian border officials had instructed passengers traveling to Georgia to remain on their buses while waiting, which she believed helped prevent overcrowding and allowed travelers to stay in air-conditioned vehicles.

On the return trip, however, all passengers left their buses and cars simultaneously, she said. The line advanced only "centimeter by centimeter," while tired children cried from exhaustion and the heat.

"Two children fainted," Avetisyan said. "Later I went outside and saw ambulances parked there."

She said only four service windows were operating on the Georgian side of the checkpoint and that no staff appeared to be managing the crowd or maintaining order.

According to Avetisyan, four service windows were also operating on the Armenian side of the border. However, she said Armenian border officers processed travelers much more quickly, resulting in significantly shorter waiting times after passengers crossed into Armenia.