Syrian-Armenian Serviceman Killed in Aleppo Clashes

ALEPPO, Syria (A.W.)—Panos Aghazarian (b. 1994), an ethnic Armenian member of the Syrian Armed Forces, was killed in military clashes in Aleppo on July 10, according to a report by Aleppo-based Kantsasar news.

Fighting between the Syrian Army and rebel forces in Aleppo has intensified in recent days, with some reports claiming as many as 40 dead and nearly 300 wounded, including two ethnic Armenians—Hripsimeh Chazarian and Sosi Ghazarian-Hekimian—who were injured on July 9, according to Kantsasar.

Aghazarian’s death comes a little more than a month after five ethnic Armenians were killed in a week. Aleppo’s Armenian-populated Nor Kyugh and Zvartnots districts were attacked by more than 30 missiles on June 2, killing several civilians—including 4 ethnic Armenians. The attack, which reportedly came from militant opposition groups, injured several others and destroyed many buildings, including homes and stores. Vazken Jabaghchourian, Levon Kelkhacherian, Hovsep Janessian, and Khatchig Aboulaboutian were among those killed in the June 2 attack.

Less than a week earlier, on May 26-27, the Vergine Gulbenkian Birthing Center-Hospital, which had served as a senior citizen’s home during the war, was extensively damaged in another rocket attack that killed Maral Guligian, a center employee. Der Zareh Shakarian, Jack Hadad, and one other employee suffered minor injuries in the attack. As a result of the attack, the senior citizens of the center were relocated for the third time since 2012.

Source: Armenian Weekly Mid-West