The renovation of martyred commander Goruyn Soghomonyan’s house was completed earlier this year with the financial contributions from Detroit’s Friends of Artsakh in collaboration with the ACAA Artsakh Fund.
Friends of Artsakh was created during the 2020 Artsakh War in Detroit, Michigan to raise funds to help and contribute to projects supporting Artsakh and its people.
The renovation of Soghomonyan’s home was initiated when Friends of Artsakh was made aware of the family’s living conditions. During the war, a bomb exploded in their backyard, causing structural damage. The house, already in need of renovations, was in an unlivable condition. Soghomonyan’s dream was to raise his three daughters in their ancestral home in the village of Dzaghgashad in Artsakh, where they all lived with his mother Elmira. The house has been in their family for more than 100 years. Friends of Artsakh of Detroit decided to embark on the project with the help of the ACAA Artsakh Fund, who planned and arranged the construction work.
In September 2021, Friends of Artsakh and ACAA Artsakh Fund representatives went to the village of Dzaghgashad in Artsakh to evaluate the situation and plan the renovation of the house. It was evident that the structure was unsafe for the family to live in and was in need of immediate repairs. Construction began immediately and was completed by January 2022. This project was made possible because of the generous donations from the Detroit community, including Soghomonyan’s sisters who reside in Michigan.
Soghomonyan was respected and loved by his soldiers. He was a brave and just commander, loyal to his fellow soldiers until the last day of his life.
He was born and raised in his ancestral village of Dzaghgashad in the Askeran region of Artsakh. After graduating Mesrop Mashtots University in Stepanakert, he joined the Artsakh Armed Forces. On April 2, 2016, he was assigned as a commander over a special unit of 10 men in Ghurband, Aghdam. With his sniper skills, they disbanded three enemy commanders and attacked a large number of Azeri troops. The enemy fled in panic, unable to break through the defense line. Soghomonyan was awarded the Baghramyan medal for heroism for his bravery during the April 2016 war in Artsakh.
When the 2020 war started on September 27, Soghomonyan was on the front line ready to defend his homeland once again. As the commander of the Rapid Reaction Squad, with the rank of captain, he led his special unit to break through the enemy’s line, seized two enemy positions and caused heavy losses to the enemy’s manpower. Soghomonyan confiscated ammunition and important documents, mined the whole area and returned without any casualties. On October 31, 2020, he was nominated for the rank of major. He was supposed to return to the positions the same day after receiving another combat mission, but unfortunately, he was killed that night. Soghomonyan was awarded the Order of Courage.
Dzovinar Hatsakordzian
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