Kessab events signal 3rd genocide against Armenians (video)
The attacks in the densely Armenian-populated town of Kessab [in northwest Syria] can be considered the 3rd genocide against the Armenians, says Turkologist Gevorg Petrosyan. He says Turkey is trying to 'clear' the region off Armenians and strike a blow to [President] Bashar Assad and the local Armenian community. It would be much better if the Syrian government forces controlled the entire country and seized the power. Time will favour Turkey and its allies, said the Turkologist. The armed incursion began on Friday, March 21, 2014, at 5:45a.m., 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. Many 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. 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.
