- Title: ARMENIA: Armenians flee Aleppo fighting, arrive in Yerevan.
- Date: 3rd August 2012
- Summary: ALEPPO FLIGHT PASSENGERS PASSING THROUGH ARRIVALS ZONE WITH LUGGAGE
- Embargoed: 18th August 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Armenia
- Country: Armenia
- Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVACCLU5A1C32I7PQ1FQ24T7A0GI
- Story Text: Syrian Armenians from long-established community in Aleppo flee the fighting and arrive to Armenia.
Ethnic Armenians from long-established community in the Syrian city of Aleppo fled the fighting and arrived in the Armenian capital, Yerevan.
Armenia's national air carrier, Armavia, sent a plane to Aleppo to pick up 47 passengers who arrived in Yerevan on Thursday (August 2).
Armavia pledged to organise more flights between Aleppo and Yerevan, as demand soars from Syrian Armenians keen to leave Aleppo.
Those arriving at Yerevan's airport gave sometimes contradicting accounts of what's happening in Aleppo.
"Do not believe what they tell you on TV. They are liars. Terrorists are using force against people and the government is cleansing them," Syrian Armenian from Aleppo, Armen, said.
"Everybody thinks we live under bombardment but it is not true. Yes, there are bombs but the government is protecting us, they are not shooting at us," he added.
Other passengers were clearly frustrated by the situation in Aleppo.
"Our plight is terrible. If it is God's will, everything will be better in a week or two. We are hopeful that things will be better in two weeks," Aleppo resident Suren said upon arrival.
"It is really very hard. We live in terrible conditions but as they say, we can cope with the situation," another passenger Tigran said Relatives of those who are still in the besieged city were worried and pessimistic about the situation in Aleppo.
"We are unable to contact them, all mobile phones are turned off. We can only speak over landline phones. We do not know whether they are en route here or not, we do not know whether they are on the plane or not. The situation is really bad and it is getting even worse," Yerevan resident meeting relatives from Aleppo, Tigran Mukuchyan, said.
Meanwhile, Armenian officials try to do their best to accommodate refugees from Syria.
"From now on, Syrian Armenians will be able to get their Armenian passports while still being in Syria, in the Armenian embassy or consulate. There was an issue about visas too. It is well-known that Syrian Armenians had been required to obtain Armenian visas if they wanted to travel to Armenia. But now, according to the government decision, they will be able to get a visa on the border upon their entry to Armenia." head of Special Government Department on Syrian Armenian affairs Firdus Zakaryan said.
Up to 80,000 ethnic Armenians live in Syria, with the vast majority residing in Aleppo, a northern Syrian city with 2 million inhabitants, where violence is increasing now as rebels use tanks.
The Armenian ethnic community is considered to be one of the most powerful ethnic communities in Syria, playing an important role in social, political and cultural life of the country. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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