29/03/2014 16:14
Russia MFA condemns Armenian-populated Kesab’s capture by militants
Russia condemns the terrorist acts and crimes committed against peaceful population of Syria, particularly Armenians, according to the correspondent of Gazeta.ru.
Russian Foreign Ministry released a statement saying that the confrontation between the Syrian government forces and illegal armed groups has intensified in recent days.
On March 21 Al-Qaeda-linked extremist groups launched attacks on the Armenian-populated town of Kesab in Syria, near the Turkish border.
The Armenian residents of Kesab and nearby settlements had to flee their homes. The capture of Kesab sparked outrage of the Armenians across the world. A protest was staged outside the UN office in Yerevan. Protesters demanded putting an end to persecution of ethno-confessional minorities by armed groups in Syria. The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) called on President Obama and the Congress to exert pressure on Ankara in order to make it end its assistance to militants who attacked civilians in Kesab.
In connection with this situation, Russian MFA believes that the intensification of extremist actions also aims to disrupt the process of Syria’s chemical demilitarization. Such a scenario is inadmissible, Russian MFA notes.
190 thousand Armenians lived in Syria prior to the conflict. About 60 thousand Armenians remain in that country now.