Armenia - Karabakh and the Diaspora Today - tomorrow and forever!

We are in Yerevan and lived through those four agonising days earlier this month. The atmosphere here was electric, waiting for news bulletins for the latest items from the front. We had heard that the Azeri army, using mercenaries, had scored early success and had occupied some eight or nine defense positions. There was a moment of brief relief when our forces took back all but one of those positions by the fourth day. The cost had been high in fatalities and wounded military personnel and civilians. Our side had been caught in a surprise by the simultaneous heavy barrage on the Northern and Southern front positions followed by the attack of the Azeri special forces and mercenaries. Artsakh forces had moved to the second line of defence and quickly organised counter offensive to dislodge the Azeri forces before they could dig in and prepare for the follow up attack.

Despite the declaration of ceasefire by both sides, the front remains fluid. There are nightly and sometimes daily barrages directed not only to the defensive positions but also the on the border villages. There have been reported criminal acts by the Azer forces (Jihadis or their own soldiers?). An old man in one of the villages was killed and his ears were severed (as trophy?). A Yezidi soldier was beheaded and the soldiers had paraded the head in their villages to the rejoicing of the populace. The body and the head have been reunited after demand by the Red Cross.

The volunteers who joined the fight in their hundreds - old and young - were grim and determined that not and inch should be given up to the attackers. These groups are unpaid and need most help in basic clothing, sleeping bags and toiletries. There has been tremendous support from the Republic, hundreds of lorry loads have so far been send to Artsakh from Armenia. Fund raising continues. We live in hope and look to the Diaspora.