A delegation of the Armenian Parliament comprising MPs from the Republican Party Samvel Farmanyan, Arman Saakyan, Naira Krapetyan, Levon Martirosyan, Heritage Party Tevan Poghosyan and independent MP Edmon Marukyan has left for Syria with a view to visit Latakia and to see the problems of local Armenians.
According to Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Hovik Abrahamyan, upon coming back to Armenia the delegates will report on the situation and if need be will consider measures to help those in need.
The Al-Nusra and Islamic Front terrorist groups have attacked Kessab since Mar 21. Syrian government forces and Armenian self-defenders are rebuffing the attacks, while Turkey is supporting the attackers. It was also reported earlier that the Turkish air forces shot down a Syrian military jet that pursued Islamist fighters in Kessab. ARF Dashnaktsutyun and Social-Democrat Hunchakyan Parties made statements on the developments. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Aram I, the head of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, called on the Syrian authorities and the international community to defend Kessab and properly assess the situation. Parallels were drawn between Turkey's current actions against Armenians and the Genocide of 1915-23. The Armenian Embassy in Syria has been instructed to settle the problems of Kessab's Armenians.