Armenians commemorate 1915 genocide in NE Syria
HASAKAH, Syria (North Press) – Armenians in Hasakah Governorate, northeast Syria, commemorated on Tuesday the 109th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, and called for an international recognition of the Armenian genocide.
Arif Qasabian, an official the Armenian Social Council in Hasakah, told North Press that “They denounce Armenian genocide and condemn genocides committed against all nations.”
Dozens of Armenians gathered in the city of Hasakah, holding candles and torches, to commemorate the Armenian genocide to show the resilience of Armenians.
She said, “109 years have passed since the genocide. To this day, we tell these stories to our children. Our grandparents and ancestors passed down these stories. We tell our kids about genocide and resilience of our people.”
The Armenian Social Council was established in the city of Hasakah on April 24, 2020, to address Armenians’ affairs in Northeast Syria.
In turn, the Armenian Women’s Union organized an event in the city of Qamishli to remember the Armenian genocide and lit candles in the commemoration.
Yeghnik Garbo, co-chair of the Armenian Social Council in Qamishli, told North Press that they firmly demand that Turkey acknowledges and claims responsibility for this genocide.
She stressed the Armenian people will continue their struggle for the recognition of this genocide, “even if it requires employing stronger measures.”
The Armenian Genocide, also known as the Armenian Holocaust, refers to the deliberate and organized campaign of mass murder and forced displacement of over 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, as supported by historical records.
It began on April 24, 1915, when Ottoman authorities arrested and deported around 250 Armenian intellectuals and community leaders from Constantinople to the Angora region. The majority of them were subsequently killed.
In 2020, the Syrian parliament recognized the Armenian genocide.