European Ombudsman Institute responds to Armenia's Ombudsman address on Kessab events

YEREVAN, APRIL 9, ARMENPRESS. The European Ombudsman Institute, which unites hundreds of Ombudsman and human rights advocates from all over the Europe, responded to Karen Andeasyan’s address on the situation of Armenians from Kessab. The Press Service of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia informed “Armenpress” that the statement by the European Ombudsman Institute particularly runs as follows:

“Concerning the human rights situation in Syria - KESSAB, the EOI were informed by the Ombudsman of Armenia, Mr. Karen Andreasyan, in his function as national Ombudsman of the Republic of Armenia and about the results of his special human rights monitoring and mediation mission for the Armenian people and minority there.

The efforts should be continued for the protection of human rights in this region and promotion of peaceful resolution for the crisis in this country under very challenging and dramatic circumstances as well as a constructive cooperation with the civil society and international organisations, on the basis of the international law.

As a member of the EOI, the Armenian Ombudsman is playing an important role for the protection and promotion of human rights for the Armenians in Kessab through his human rights monitoring and mediation mission, and calls on all concerned parties to provide him with all necessary cooperation and assistance.

EOI strongly recommends and urges all concerned parties in Syria to install a peaceful and direct dialogue on solving the current crisis in the spirit of the principles of the international human rights law.”

Previously it was reported that the armed incursion began on Friday, March 21, with rebels associated with Al-Qaeda’s al-Nusra Front, Sham al-Islam and Ansar al-Sham crossing the Turkish border and attacking the Armenian civilian population of Kessab. The attackers immediately seized two guard posts overlooking Kessab, including a strategic hill known as Observatory 45 and later took over the border crossing point with Turkey. Snipers targeted the civilian population and launched mortar attacks on the town and the surrounding villages.

According to eyewitness accounts, the attackers crossed the Turkish border with Syria openly passing through Turkish military barracks. According to Turkish media reports, the attackers carried their injured back to Turkey for treatment in the town of Yayladagi.

Some 670 Armenian families, the majority of the population of Kessab, were evacuated by the local Armenian community leadership to safer areas in neighboring Basit and Latakia. Ten to fifteen families with relations too elderly to move were either unable to leave or chose to stay in their homes.

On Saturday, March 22, Syrian troops launched a counteroffensive in an attempt to regain the border crossing point, eye-witnesses and state media reported. However, on Sunday, March 23, the extremist groups once again entered the town of Kessab, took the remaining Armenian families hostage, desecrated the town’s three Armenian churches, pillaging local residences and occupying the town and surrounding villages.

Located in the northwestern corner of Syria, near the border with Turkey, Kessab had, until very recently, evaded major battles in the Syrian conflict. The local Armenian population had increased in recent years with the city serving as safe-haven for those fleeing from the war-torn cities of Yacubiye, Rakka and Aleppo.