SocietyTop

Most Armenian families evacuated, as Turkey pushes into north Syria

Most Armenian families have been evacuated from the Syrian city of Tel Abyad. They have moved to Al-Hasakah Governorate and Aleppo, said Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, the head of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Education, Science, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sport. He said no casualties were reported.

According to some reports, Armenian families in Ras al-Ayn have also been relocated. About 3,000 Armenians in Qamishli are still in the city. The local authorities see no need in relocating the population at this point.

The Armenian Embassy in Syria and the Consulate General in Aleppo keep in touch with the communities in north-eastern Syria.

Turkey launched air strikes, fired artillery and began a ground offensive against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria on Wednesday (Oct 9) after US troops pulled back from the area.

Reports say heavy fighting is under way, as  Turkey’s incursion into Kurdish-held areas of northern Syria enters a second day.

Tens of thousands of people are leaving their homes. The BBC quotes the Kurdish Red Crescent as saying that at least seven civilians have so far been killed, two of them children, and at least 19 more critically injured including four children.

The Turkish invasion, now in its second day, has been widely condemned around the world.

The United Nations Security Council will meet on Syria behind closed-doors on Thursday to discuss the situation in Syria.  

The meeting of the 15-member council was requested by the five European members, Britain, France, Germany, Belgium and Poland, Reuters reported.

The Armenian Government held a closed-door meeting to discuss the situation in Syria. Armenia’s Security Council has been instructed to outline an action plan on how to help ensure the security of local Armenian communities, the Council’s Secretary Armen Grigoryan said after the meeting.  

Earlier today, the Foreign Ministry issued a statement, strongly condemning Turkey’s invasion, saying “it would lead to deterioration of regional security, losses among civilians, mass displacement and eventually to a new humanitarian crisis.”

The Ministry said Armenia would continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the friendly people of Syria on the ground.

Show More
Back to top button