Escalation around Kessab calms down: report

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian-populated Syrian town of Kessab saw certain escalation in recent days. Women and children were evacuated to neighboring Latakia, with men left behind to guard the town, Karabakh-open.info said.

The town, that just started reviving after the spring 2014’s tragic events, was under the threat of shelling 3 days ago, after the rocket strike on Leghi Jur checkpoint nearby.

At present, the situation has calmed down, with Kessab residents urging against spreading unverified information.

According to earlier reports from military sources, groups of armed militants were noted at the border with Syria.

Located in the northwestern corner of Syria, near the border with Turkey, Kessab had, for a while evaded major battles in the Syrian conflict. The local Armenian population had increased in recently years with the city serving as safe haven for those fleeing from the war-torn cities of Yacubiye, Rakka and Aleppo. On March 21, extremist foreign fighters launched a vicious attack on Kessab civilians, forcing them to flee neighboring Latakia and Bassit. Hundreds of Kessab Armenians found refuge in Latakia.

The 3-year civil war in Syria took the lives of over 170,000 and displaced around 9 million. Before the war, Syria was home to around 80,000 Armenians. At present, 10,000 left for Armenia and 5,000 for Lebanon.