Armenia reopened its embassy in Damascus on Monday, just one week after temporarily evacuating it during a swift rebel offensive that ousted Syria’s longtime President Bashar al-Assad.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry announced that the embassy has resumed normal operations, including its consular services, which are now handling appointments for Armenian citizens.
The ministry also confirmed plans to reopen its consulate in Aleppo, which had closed shortly before the city was overtaken by rebels led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) late last month. Both the embassy and consulate had remained operational throughout much of the Syrian civil war.
In its first official statement on Syria’s regime change, the Armenian Foreign Ministry expressed solidarity with the Syrian people, calling for unity and peace: “We stand firmly by the friendly Syrian people in this decisive moment for their history and support the inclusive and peaceful political transition process, with strong belief that tolerance and national unity are the sole way to stability and peace in Syria and the entire region.”
Syrian Armenians in Limbo
The reopening of Armenian diplomatic missions in Syria is critical for the country’s ethnic Armenian community, which numbered approximately 80,000 before the outbreak of the civil war in 2011. The community’s future remains uncertain following the recent rebel advance, which has left between 10,000 and 15,000 Armenians in Aleppo particularly vulnerable.
According to Zarmig Boghigian, editor of the local Armenian newspaper Kantsasar, some Syrian Armenians fled Aleppo ahead of the rebel takeover but have begun returning to the city in recent days. “The security situation in Aleppo is stable, but uncertainty persists,” Boghigian told Azatutyun. “The economic situation is dire, with prices fluctuating unpredictably. People don’t know what to expect next.”
Boghigian noted that the new HTS-led authorities have provided security guarantees to the Armenian community, encouraging them to continue their lives as normal and reopen their churches. Armenian schools across Syria reopened on Monday.
Challenges for Armenians Seeking Refuge
A group of Syrian Armenians had planned to travel to Armenia on a direct flight from Damascus on November 14. However, the closure of Syrian airports forced the cancellation of the flight. Boghigian indicated that those wishing to relocate to Armenia now have the option to travel via neighboring Lebanon, offering a lifeline to those seeking stability.
While Armenia’s diplomatic missions are once again operational, the challenges facing Syrian Armenians highlight the uncertainty of life in the aftermath of Syria’s regime change. For many, the future remains a mix of cautious hope and lingering anxiety as they navigate an unpredictable political and economic landscape.
