Armenians in Zalin, North and East Syria, commemorate 109th anniversary of genocide

ZALIN, North and East Syria — On the 109th anniversary of the genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenian, Greek, Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean), and other peoples, Armenians in Zalin (Qamishli), North and East Syria, marked the day on Tuesday, 24 April, with a solemn march, candle-lighting, and calls for international acknowledgment of the massacres, drawing both official and popular support.

Following the march, participants congregated at the Church of the Martyrs, where songs and hymns were performed, commemorating the lives lost in the genocide.

In an interview with Suroyo TV, Armenian Orthodox Bishop of the Diocese of Jazira and Euphrates Levon Yeghiyan affirmed the Armenian communities commitment to honoring the memory of the genocide victims, vowing never to forget the tragic events inflicted by the Ottomans and their allies.

Dr. Antranik Sargsyan, a member of the Armenian Church, emphasized that while the Ottomans sought to erase lives, they cannot erase memory. He highlighted the international recognition received by Armenia from over thirty nations and called on Turkey to confront its historical legacy and acknowledge the genocide. Sargsyan warned against marginalizing the issue, cautioning that ignoring past atrocities only emboldens the potential for future ones.