In Meghri, a small town in the Syunik region, in southern Armenia, residents say they are ready to take up arms to defend their territory against Azerbaijan.
Since the capitulation of the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh, which drove its population into exile, Armenians have feared suffering the same fate. Especially the inhabitants of the Syunik region, in the south of the country, and coveted by Azerbaijan. A remote, mountainous region where the capitulation of Karabakh sounded like a warning.
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In the streets of the small town of Meghri, residents fear being the next to suffer an Azeri offensive.
In front of a grocery store, a group of young people are in discussion. If the tone remains relaxed, the exodus of Armenians from Karabakh and the threat of a new war occupy minds, admits Mourad, 19 years old: “We talk about it all the time. War will break out eventually, of course it will! War could break out in a month, in a year, or ten or twenty years, I don’t know.” His friend Arman is of the same opinion and he says he is ready to enlist to defend his country.
“I haven’t done military service, but I’m ready for anything. If there’s going to be war, I’m ready to fight!”
Arman, resident of Meghriat franceinfo
“Azerbaijan spat on Europe”
“I haven’t done military service, but I’m ready for anything. If there’s going to be war, I’m ready to fight!”
Arman, resident of Meghriat franceinfo
“Azerbaijan spat on Europe”
The trader displays his patriotism and only sees the Armenians defending themselves against Azerbaijan after the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh. “Europe is guilty of assuring us that this was not going to happen, that all these issues were going to be resolved through diplomacy. But Azerbaijan spat on Europe and attacked”, he analyzes, bitterly. The Armenians of the Syunik region feel abandoned and rely only on themselves to resist the threat looming over them.
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On a road that winds into the mountain, army trucks park, artillery pieces point their cannons towards the valley. At the end of the road, the region’s capital, Kapan, has the appearance of a garrison town. This is why Galoust decided to open a military surplus store there: “As it’s a military zone, there was demand for a store of this type!”he indicates.
The trader displays his patriotism and only sees the Armenians defending themselves against Azerbaijan after the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh. “Europe is guilty of assuring us that this was not going to happen, that all these issues were going to be resolved through diplomacy. But Azerbaijan spat on Europe and attacked”, he analyzes, bitterly. The Armenians of the Syunik region feel abandoned and rely only on themselves to resist the threat looming over them.