10-12 thousand Syrian-Armenians are still in Aleppo, according to an Armenian government official dealing with Diaspora affairs.

The first group of Syrian-Armenians is expected to arrive to Armenia on December 14, Hovhannes Alexanyan, the Head of the Department of Repatriates Integration at the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs said at a media event about the situation in Aleppo.

He said an evacuation will be possible only in the appropriate conditions.

Alexanyan said some Syrian-Armenian families were able to flee Aleppo in the immediate aftermath of the city’s takeover by anti-government forces. The families have found shelter in Damascus, Latakia and Kessab. The Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs maintains contact with them.

“According to our data there are around 10-12 thousand [Syrian] Armenians in Aleppo,” Alexanyan said.

Vulnerable families receive support from various charity organizations. The Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia has provided funds for relief efforts through its diocese. 

Alexanyan said the Armenian authorities are closely following the developments and are ready to provide help at any moment.

“At this moment it is impossible to organize evacuation or deliver aid. In case of an opportunity to do so, it could be considered, but there is no such opportunity now. The airport and industrial zone of Aleppo is now under the control of Islamist groups. There is no guarantee of safe evacuation of large numbers of people,” Alexanyan said.

The first group of Syrian-Armenians who were able to flee the danger zone will arrive to Armenia via a Damascus-Yerevan flight on December 14, he said.

“We are ready to receive our compatriots at any hour and deal with their issues. The free healthcare program for Syrian-Armenians, which was introduced years earlier, is still in force, and we are ready to look into the needs of our compatriots within the framework of this program. We also call on our partner organizations to implement joint programs,” the official said.

Meanwhile, human rights expert Sergey Ghazinyan from the Center for European Studies at the Yerevan State University, said that the Syrian-Armenians who do not have Armenian citizenship must apply for a refugee status immediately after crossing into Armenia.

Published by Armenpress, original at https://armenpress.am/en/article/1206758