Armenians again driven away
Kessab is a historic Christian town populated by Armenians and located in north-western Syria very close to the border with Turkey. Kessab has been an Armenian town for centuries, and the town is important in the cultural history of the Armenian people and in their understanding of themselves.
Until 1922 the town was part of the Turkish Ottoman Empire. In1915, when close to one and a half million Armenians were killed in the Ottoman Empire, 5,000 Armenians in Kessab were deported and killed.
On 21st of March this year Kessab was occupied by radical rebel groups as part of the civil war in Syria, and almost the entire Armenian population were driven away. The majority of the citizens of Kessab have found refuge in surrounding towns like Latakia in Syria and in neighboring Lebanon.
Mission East supports all refugees irrespective of their ethnic and religious affiliation, but during my recent visit to Lebanon I especially concentrated on 8,000 Christian Armenian refugees who had been driven away from their towns in Syria.
These Christian Armenians have lost everything they own and have built up during their entire lives.
Mission East is doing what we can to help as many of these refugees as possible, focusing on their immediate needs – food, clothing and medicine.
And should the miracle occur that one day they could return to their homes in Syria, we also want to help them there.
Please spend a few minutes and read the story about the Christian Armenians who have fled their century-old home in Kessab, Syria.
Kim Hartzner, MD, Managing Director
Read MoreUntil 1922 the town was part of the Turkish Ottoman Empire. In1915, when close to one and a half million Armenians were killed in the Ottoman Empire, 5,000 Armenians in Kessab were deported and killed.
On 21st of March this year Kessab was occupied by radical rebel groups as part of the civil war in Syria, and almost the entire Armenian population were driven away. The majority of the citizens of Kessab have found refuge in surrounding towns like Latakia in Syria and in neighboring Lebanon.
Mission East supports all refugees irrespective of their ethnic and religious affiliation, but during my recent visit to Lebanon I especially concentrated on 8,000 Christian Armenian refugees who had been driven away from their towns in Syria.
These Christian Armenians have lost everything they own and have built up during their entire lives.
Mission East is doing what we can to help as many of these refugees as possible, focusing on their immediate needs – food, clothing and medicine.
And should the miracle occur that one day they could return to their homes in Syria, we also want to help them there.
Please spend a few minutes and read the story about the Christian Armenians who have fled their century-old home in Kessab, Syria.
Kim Hartzner, MD, Managing Director
’I shouted at my wife: please don’t forget the milk and the clothes of the children. We tried to pack what we could. When we were far enough from danger I realized I was in my pyjamas. And that was that. We have not been in Kessab since that day,’ says Natan.
Here the two three-year old twin daughters.
