Aleppo-Armenian says Russian intervention ‘inspiring’

The Russian air forces’ intervention in Syria inspires serious hopes in the Armenian community, an Aleppo-Armenian public figure said today, commenting on the recent developments in the country.

Speaking at a news conference, Vazgen Mesropian, the vice-president of the Social-Democrat Hunchakian Party (SDHP) of Armenia, admitted that the Syrian-Army has seen a considerable progress after the Russian operation.

“Eighty percent of Aleppo is almost liberated, so I am hopeful that the districts still remaining under terrorists' control - who bomb also the Armenian neighborhoods from there - will be liberated in the couple of days to come,” he said.

Mesropian further hailed Syrian President Bashar  al-Assad’s surprise visit to Moscow and his meetings with President Vladimir Putin. “It was a surprise,” he said, considering the move  a positive sign.

Mesropian admitted that Syria had to rely on Russian assistance, finding itself unable to fight alone the militants’ troops of more than 1,500.

“We believe that very soon – if not in the near future, at least in the four to six months to come – those terrorists will leave, and Aleppo will be liberated. The Russian air forces kill heads of terrorist centers; this is really important as they will later liberate also entire regions,” he added.

Mesropian agreed that a key concern now is over the remaining Armenians’ number, the community being considered the mother colony of Diaspora-Armenians. 

He added that the local schools and kindergartens have merged, continuing their work at the Gulbenkian School of Aleppo as a safer area.

“Today, we have a total of 2,080 pupils in [the schools] of Aleppo, whereas their number topped 4,500 before the war. There are presently 7,000-8,000 Armenians remaining there, instead of the [former] 40,000. So that’s regrettable,” the Aleppo-Armenian activist said, giving assurances that most of those who have fled Armenia or other countries, will return home after peace is established.

Of the 10,000 community members who are now in Armenia, only about 1,000 work,  Mesropian added. “The rest are without a job, and those who work are mainly young people.”

“Most are waiters or businessmen who have set up a small business here. There are also others who return, as they have no means of subsistence; they have spent all their money,” he said, adding that more 100 Armenians were killed in Syria in the past four years of war.