Day: June 25, 2024

On September 25, 2023, a catastrophic explosion at a fuel station in Berkadzor, near Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh, resulted in the deaths of at least 218 people, caused hundreds of injuries and left numerous individuals missing. 

The International and Comparative Law Center, under the auspices of the Armenian Legal Center (ALC), has submitted 20 cases to the U.N. Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. The cases, discovered through a thorough fact-finding mission, seek international intervention and assistance in locating the missing individuals.

This incident occurred amid the mass exodus of more than 120,000 ethnic Armenians following a 10-month blockade and a 24-hour military offensive by Azerbaijan, which forced the Armenian population to flee the region. The explosion occurred as people were waiting in line to fill their vehicles with gasoline amidst the chaotic evacuation. Witnesses recounted harrowing stories of their loved ones who disappeared following the explosion at the fuel station.

The Azerbaijani armed forces are believed to be responsible for these disappearances, as the area was under their effective control shortly after the explosion. Families have appealed to Armenian state agencies, the Artsakh government and the Red Cross but have received no information or results. 

Several individuals were seen shortly before the blast, yet their whereabouts remain unknown. A young man summoned his father and uncles to the station, yet upon their arrival, he was nowhere to be found. His personal belongings, including his phone and keys, were also missing. In another instance, a father and son arrived together, but the father was unable to locate his son after being thrown into a ditch by the blast.

These narratives underscore the deep personal anguish experienced by numerous families, each grappling with the hope for resolution and the safe return of those who remain unaccounted for. The ALC remains resolute in seeking justice for the missing individuals and their families, ensuring that their cases are thoroughly investigated and addressed.

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This year’s AYF-YOARF interns and director atop the steps of Cascade with Mt. Ararat in the background

YEREVAN—The AYF-YOARF Internship in Armenia is one of the organization’s flagship summer programs, attracting applicants from all over the world. This year, the group comprises 16 interns hailing from California, Chicago, Detroit, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Washington D.C. and Toronto. The large number of interns has made for an interesting mix of internship placements including tech startups, children’s centers, civil engineering firms and much more. Most importantly, each intern will be getting professional experience in their respective field of study. 

Not only do the interns get to work in Armenia, but they also live in Yerevan’s “Kentron” area, affording them the opportunity to interact with locals on a daily basis. With the intern house situated near the Armenian National Opera, city sites are within walking distance and easily accessible to the group. 

The AYF interns will have various excursions throughout the summer, including trips to Syunik, Dilijan, Gyumri and Javakhk. Altogether, the internship program is all-encompassing, bringing the diasporan youth closer to their homeland. Let’s meet the interns who are participating this year!

Chris Alajajian

Chris Alajajian is interning at the Wigmore Women’s and Children’s Hospital. Alajajian is a member of the Detroit “Kopernik Tandourjian” Chapter and the treasurer of his university’s ASCA club. The 22-year-old is a rising senior at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor studying neuroscience on the pre-med track. After graduating, Alajajian plans to pursue medical school and specialize in neurosurgery. “I’m excited to gain valuable professional experience in my field and also give back to the community while living as an Armenian local with my fellow interns! I’m looking forward to engaging deeply with the Armenian culture and building lifelong connections,” Alajajian said. A fun fact about Alajajian is that he’s a black belt in Tae Kwon Do!

Hagop Alajajian

Hagop Alajajian is interning at the Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology. He is a member of the Detroit “Kopernik Tandourjian” Chapter and the vice president of the Princeton Armenian Society. The 20-year-old is a rising junior at Princeton University where he studies computer science and is part of the sailing team. He has also been a part of Homenetmen and the Hamazkayin dance group. “I love spending time with family and friends, learning about all forms of art, tasting new foods and trying new experiences,” Alajajian said. He is excited to “experience my motherland with my brother, along with the amazing cohort of AYF interns I can call my extended family. I’m excited for the chance to volunteer and contribute to the wellbeing of Armenia,” he said. A fun fact about Alajajian is that he’s met Jeff Bezos!

Tamar Almasian

Tamar Almasian is interning at the Nera Project. She is the Junior advisor of the Massachusetts – North Andover “Sassoun” Chapter. The 20-year-old is a rising junior at the University of New Hampshire studying accounting. For eight years, she was part of an Armenian dance group called “Siroun.” She is excited about “becoming more connected with my Armenian roots and culture and finally visiting my homeland!” 

Aren Bedrossian

Aren Bedrossian is interning at iNexxus. He is the treasurer of the New York “Hyortik” Chapter and the co-founder of his university’s Armenian Students Association. The 19-year-old majors in accounting and finance at Fairfield University. He is excited about “experiencing life in Yerevan authentically and forming connections with people in the homeland.” His favorite Armenian food is manti!

Antranig Douglas

Antranig Douglas is interning at the National Academy of Science, Chemical and Physical Institute. He has been a member of the Massachusetts – Middlesex County West “Musa Ler” Chapter since its inception and was an active member of the Armenian Students Association as an undergraduate student. The 22-year-old majored in psychology and played rugby at the University of Vermont. He also enjoys climbing, hiking and playing board games. He is excited about improving his Armenian language skills and hopes to read Harry Potter in Armenian this summer!

Nathan Kefeyan

Nathan Kefeyan is interning at the Central Bank of Armenia. He is a member of the Massachusetts – Greater Boston “Nejdeh” Chapter and will serve as the vice president of his university’s Armenian Student Association this fall. The 19-year-old is a rising junior at Northeastern University majoring in economics with a minor in data science. He also enjoys playing Armenian music on the oud. He is excited about “immersing myself into the daily life of Yerevan and experiencing new aspects of Armenian culture!” 

Alina Keshishian

Alina Keshishian is interning at Study for Success. She is a member of the New Jersey “Arsen” Chapter and serves as the chair of the Central Camp Haiastan Council. The 20-year-old is a rising junior at Lafayette College majoring in anthropology and sociology with a minor in French and concentration in education. She is excited about “returning back to Haiastan and strengthening my Armenian speaking skills, teaching first graders and making memories with all my fellow interns.” A fun fact about Keshishian is that she sat next to Elton John at a restaurant in Yerevan!

Nyree Kourkounian

Nyree Kourkounian is interning at Nairi-Tech LLC. She is a member of the Massachusetts – North Andover “Sassoun” Chapter and her university’s Armenian Students Association. The 20-year-old studies mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor where she is also involved in the Society of Women Engineers. “I am so excited to visit Armenia for the first time! I am looking forward to fully immersing myself in all that Armenia has to offer all while doing valuable work in my field,” she said. A fun fact about Kourkounian is that she can hold a handstand for a minute!

Aram Najarian

Aram Najarian is interning at DrumStar Corporation. He is a member of the Washington D.C. “Ani” Chapter and helped run this year’s Junior Seminar as a member of the AYF Junior Seminar Committee. The 19-year-old is a rising sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering at Northeastern University where he will serve as the treasurer of the Armenian Students Association this fall. He is also learning to play the dumbeg! He is excited about “going to the homeland for the first time and being able to experience the culture.”

Sophia Marangoudakis

Sophia Marangoudakis is interning at the Armenia Marriott Hotel Yerevan. She is a member of the Massachusetts – Worcester “Aram” Chapter and the Cornell Armenian Student Organization. The 19-year-old is a rising sophomore majoring in hotel administration at Cornell University where she is involved in the Cornell Hotel Society. “I love learning about different cultures, trying new restaurants, creating collages and taking fun pictures!” she said. “I am super excited to live in and explore Yerevan, the historical sites and interact with the local people. I am also looking forward to working internationally and conversing with people from a variety of countries,” Marangoudakis continued. Her career goal is to own her own line of boutique hotels.

Areni Panosian

Areni Panosian is interning at Hairenik Media. She was born and raised in San Francisco and is a member of the California – Hollywood “Musa Ler” Chapter. The 21-year-old is a rising senior at UCLA majoring in English with minors in Armenian studies and film. She is fluent in both Western and Eastern Armenian. “I am incredibly excited to learn about the current political and social climate of Armenia from locals and live internationally for an extended period of time. I look forward to fostering a community amongst fellow interns through service, work and our shared Armenian heritage!” she said. 

Emily Sardaryan

Emily Sardaryan is interning at the Wigmore Women’s and Children’s Hospital. The 20-year-old is a rising junior studying psychology at Pepperdine University in Malibu, where she will again serve as secretary of the Armenian Students Association in the upcoming year. She plans to attend medical school and match into a residency for psychiatry. “Words cannot fully describe my excitement but I’ll try my best! I am excited to gain professional experience in my field while giving back to my homeland, building lifelong connections and living as an Armenian local with fellow interns!” she said. “No one remembers what my first language was because as soon as I started speaking, I would speak a hybrid of both Armenian with English!”  

Raffi Sarrafian

Raffi Sarrafian is interning at the National Polytechnic University of Armenia. He is a member of the Chicago “Ararat” Chapter and serves on the Central Junior Council. The 22-year-old graduated this spring with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “I am very excited to be in Armenia for the first time. I can’t wait to gain more professional experience, meet new people and explore all that Armenia has to offer!” he said. A fun fact about Sarrafian is that his highest score in bowling is a 267!

Aleen Soulakian

Aleen Soulakian is interning at Music Promo Today. She serves on the senior executive board of the Chicago “Ararat” Chapter and on Central Camp Haiastan Council. The 20-year-old is a rising junior at Illinois State University majoring in marketing. “This will be my first time in Haiastan so I am beyond excited to go back to my roots and finally immerse myself in the culture. I look forward to growing personally and professionally while also giving back to my country. I also cannot wait to share this experience with my fellow interns and create memories that will last a lifetime,” she said. “I am allergic to beef and lamb, so eating in Armenia shouldn’t be a challenge at all!”

Sophia Tarpinian

Sophia Tarpinian is interning at Orran Children’s Center. She is a member of the New Jersey “Arsen” Chapter. The 21-year-old graduated this spring from the University of Maryland with a bachelor of science degree in early childhood education/early childhood special education. Her favorite Armenian food is boreg! “I am using this internship as an opportunity to learn more about different cultural styles of teaching and childcare. I am so excited to take the skills that I learn in Armenia and bring them back to teach in New Jersey this fall!” she said. She is excited about practicing her Armenian language skills. 

Meenas Zorian

Meenas Zorian is interning at the ARM Project. The 20-year-old is a rising senior majoring in structural engineering at the Queen’s University in Canada where he is a part of the Armenian Students Association and the bridge building design team. “My goal after school is to hopefully open my own engineering firm,” he said. “I am excited for every aspect of getting to live in Yerevan and experience everything it has to offer while having the opportunity to work in a field I am passionate in.” A fun fact about Zorian is that he can speak five languages!

Now that you’ve met all our interns, follow their journey this summer as they spend an incredible two months discovering Armenia. Check out the AYF Internship Instagram (@ayfinternship) and Facebook page (AYF Internship in Armenia) for content uploaded on a regular basis, and keep an eye out for future articles written by the interns and directors! 

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Armenia

The Armenian Foreign Ministry has condemned the humanitarian crisis, attacks on civilian infrastructure and violence against civilians in Gaza. In line with international law and the principles of peaceful coexistence, Armenia recognized the State of Palestine. Armenia has supported U.N. resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire and endorses the “two-state” solution for Israeli-Palestinian peace. Following this announcement, Israel’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Armenian ambassador for a reprimand, though no meeting has occurred. The office of the President of Palestine, led by Mahmoud Abbas, thanked Armenia for its “brave and important decision.”

Artsakh

The National Security Service (NSS) special forces of Armenia raided the Artsakh Representative Office on June 21, breaching its gates and confiscating the president’s service vehicle. This raid has been met with widespread condemnation. Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan announced his decision to donate his car to the Artsakh representation for their service to the people, calling the raid “unacceptable and condemnable.”

The Artsakh National Assembly, represented by four political factions, issued a statement criticizing the breach of the Artsakh Representative Office as crossing legal and moral boundaries. The Assembly accused the Armenian government of using disproportionate force and repression against their own people to maintain power, undermining democracy and the rule of law. They called for an end to actions that divide and harm solidarity among Armenians, emphasizing the right to national dignity and condemning any rhetoric that incites violence or hatred.

Meanwhile, in Baku, Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor General Kyamran Aliyev announced that criminal cases against leaders and officials of Artsakh, who were kidnapped by Azerbaijan and are being held in Baku, will soon be presented in court. “Currently, the accused, their lawyers and victims are reviewing the criminal case materials. Once this cognitive phase concludes, the indictment will be sent to court,” Aliyev stated.

Azerbaijan

The leadership of Azerbaijan’s ruling “Yeni Azerbaijan” (New Azerbaijan) Party has appealed to President Ilham Aliyev to dissolve the Milli Mejlis (Parliament of Azerbaijan) and call for early elections. The party cited the scheduling conflict of the regular parliamentary elections in November 2024 with the 29th session of the U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP 29) and other major international events. Under the Azerbaijani constitution, the president can dissolve parliament and call for new elections. The current parliament, elected in extraordinary elections on February 9, 2020, consists of 125 deputies serving a five-year term.

Russia

At least 19 people were killed and 25 injured in coordinated shootings at multiple places of worship in Russia’s southernmost territory Dagestan on the night of June 23. At least 15 police officers and four civilians, including a priest, were killed. Law enforcement officials informed TASS that the assailants were “adherents of an international terrorist organization,” despite no one immediately claiming responsibility. The Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Republic of Dagestan announced that a terror investigation has been opened. Five shooters have been identified, some of them having ties to the head of the Sergokalinsky District.

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President Ilham Aliyev shared post on Armed Forces Day  AZERTAC News

President Ilham Aliyev grants higher military ranks to servicemen of Ministry of Defense  Trend News Agency

President Ilham Aliyev makes post on occasion of Armed Forces Day [PHOTO]  AzerNews.Az

Armenia Recognizes Palestine  The Armenian Mirror-Spectator

Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP), the terror group responsible for the attack on a Moscow concert venue in March that left over 140 individuals dead, is ramping up its media outreach in Central Asia. The group’s propaganda efforts are raising concerns about the possibility of a terror attack in the region.

The Moscow terrorist tragedy opened eyes around the globe to the seriousness of the trans-national threat posed by ISKP. The assault also marked ISKP’s third successful external operation within a span of less than three months, following the suicide bombing in Kerman, Iran, and the church shooting in Istanbul, Türkiye. 

Several other plots were foiled across Eurasia during the same time span, along with the takedown of an alleged IS-linked network in June with operatives in New York City, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. Many of those connected in recent years to an ISKP attack or foiled plot are Central Asian nationals, with Tajiks featuring most prominently. Yet, despite the prominence of Central Asian citizens in ISKP operations, little attention has been given to the growing threat to Central Asia itself. 

Over the last few months, reports of an increasing number of ISKP-related arrests point to the group’s growth in Central Asia. In late December 2023, for example, two teenagers were arrested after special forces disrupted an alleged plot targeting multiple locations in the southern Kyrgyz city of Jalal-Abad. A few months later, a car bombing incident in Tajikistan’s Kulyab Region was deemed a terrorist act linked to ISKP. 

In mid-June, Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security detained 15 individuals in Bishkek and elsewhere alleged to have ISKP connections, retrieving a “large quantity of literature.” The suspects are accused of posting videos online that provide tactical advice on the use of weapons and explosives. These arrests took place around the time that Kazakhstan busted a female cell said to be planning to attack a Western target, though authorities refuted the reports. 

These incidents signal a troubling extension of ISKP’s regional influence, building on its pre-existing propaganda campaign tailored for Central Asian audiences. In 2022, the group established official Tajik and Uzbek wings of its in-house Al-Azaim Foundation for Media Production. Additionally, it now has a functioning Russian-language arm. The Central Asia-facing campaign, which gained steam in 2020/2021, continues to find new means of conveying its messages, rolling out a new Tajik-language magazine shortly after the March 22 attack in Moscow. 

Jihadism researcher Riccardo Valle noted to Eurasianet that ISKP is now “calling for similar actions to the Moscow attack.” The group, in Valle’s view, is also adding nuance to messaging concerning the Tajik government, hoping to incite supporters to violence by exploiting hostile sentiments related to specific policies, such as Dushanbe’s recent hijab ban.

ISKP also seeks to score propaganda points by calling attention to Dushanbe’s and Tashkent’s close relations with Moscow. Valle said ISKP is framing Uzbekistan as a Russian proxy and Tajikistan’s government as a “Russian puppet aiming to impose communism and eradicate Islam from the country.” These efforts by Al-Azaim are being leveraged by supportive, pro-ISKP propaganda outlets that are now beginning to publish in regional languages. Collectively, these initiatives illustrate the still-growing emphasis the movement is placing on Central Asia.

Central Asia has been fundamental to ISKP’s doctrinal shift in expanding its militant power projection, striving to position the group as the only vehicle available to disaffected extremists from the region capable of challenging entrenched governments. As part of its stepped-up outreach, ISKP has been engaging members of Jamaat Ansarullah, the Turkistan Islamic Party, and others, casting itself as an alternative for radicals who, it argues, are being constrained by the Taliban, and not allowed to take the fight to Central Asia. 

ISKP’s Central Asia campaign is starting to shift, complementing propaganda with more work to expand its regional support base, recruit members and fundraise. This strategy started coming into focus after the rocket attacks into Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in 2022, which were declared the start of the Islamic State’s “great jihad to Central Asia.” Now that ISKP has developed the foundation of its Central Asia strategy and has successfully expanded its influence among radicals in the region, its propaganda machine is starting to move in ways consistent with the group’s previous external operations against Iran, Turkey, and Russia. The same pattern is becoming apparent in Central Asia, in which ISKP floods the information space with propaganda as a prelude to direct attacks.

Yoav Gallant urges Lloyd Austin to act against nuclear Iran  The Jerusalem Post