ALEPPO, Syria (A.W.)—The Armenian Relief Society (ARS) Medical Clinic of Aleppo suffered substantial damages after an attack by militant opposition groups on Feb. 14, reported the Aleppo-based Armenian news outlet Kantsasar. The attack targeted the mostly Christian-populated districts of Suleymanieh, Nor Kyugh, Telefon Hawaii, and Seyrafi. There were both casualties and wounded in this recent attack.
The ARS Central Office confirmed the damage to the clinic to the Armenian Weekly. According to our sources, the attack also targeted the Nor Kyugh school area, where two Armenian schools—the Sahagian elementary school and the Djemaran high school—as well as the St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church are located, near the medical center. The schools have not been operational for around two years. The church is still in use, even though a part of it is damaged. The recent attack damaged shops and homes in the area.
In a post on its Facebook page, the ARS Central Office appealed to the public for support. “Due to the bombardments today in Aleppo, Syria, the Health Center of the ARS Red Cross of Syria has been destroyed as reported today by the Regional Executive. Please continue your support for the vital needs of our sisters and brothers in Syria through your local ARS chapters or online.”
A day earlier, on Feb. 13, Kamishli-born Syrian-Armenian Viken Vosgerichian (b. 1983) was among those killed in another missile attack. According to reports, Vosgerichian was among the volunteers who stood guard in areas heavily populated by Armenians, in order to ensure their safety. He also participated in the distribution of water to the greater community using special water-transporting vehicles. Several other individuals sustained injuries in the attack and were transported to nearby hospitals, while many buildings—including homes and stores—as well as several vehicles, suffered extensive damages or were destroyed.
Kantsasar also reported that water has been scarce in the city in recent months, and that electricity has been almost non-existent since Oct. 23, 2015, forcing Aleppo residents to purchase water and a few hours of energy from those who own generators.
The Feb. 13 attack came less than two weeks after Aleppo’s Armenian-populated Nor Kyugh district was attacked by missiles on Feb. 3, according to a report by Perio News. One of the missiles in that attack hit an area between the St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church and the Sahagian Armenian School of Aleppo, while another landed near an Armenian nursing home. According to the Perio News report, some people sustained injuries, but there were no casualties in the attack.
Just over two weeks before, on the morning of Jan. 17, the Armenian Evangelical Emmanuel Church in Aleppo’s Munshieh district was severely damaged after militant groups launched a missile attack on several Aleppo neighborhoods, including Munshieh, Azizieh, and Saad Jabri. According to Kantsasar, the church was hit a few hours after Sunday Mass.
The ARS of Eastern USA continues to collect donations for Syrian-Armenian relief. To make an online donation, visit http://arseastusa.org/donate, or mail checks to the Armenian Relief Society of Eastern USA, Inc., 80 Bigelow Avenue, Suite 200, Watertown, MA 02472.
The ARS Eastern USA a 501(c)(3) is charitable organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
We always build and they loot, plunder and destroy. This ARS office was perhaps one of the remaining open to care for soldiers and others. Just like in Kessab, they didn’t even leave a hammer behind for us to rebuild.