On September 19, 2023, new details of the atrocities committed by the Azerbaijani army become known. Forrights.am spoke with the Deputy Head of the 1st Department of the 2nd Department of the National Security Service of Artsakh, Major Araik Hayriyan, who witnessed the killings of the civilian population. These civilians were killed by Azerbaijani gunfire on the way from Martakert to Stepanakert.
“A 40-45-year-old man was killed. He was not a soldier. He was standing there to help the peaceful population to get out. The enemy was shooting in the direction of the departing vehicles; children and women were killed. I know for sure that three children and two women were killed. Only women and children were in those cars; men were left to protect their homes. They [the Azeris] had already entered the villages,” said the major in a conversation with Forrights.am.
The enemy had an elaborate plan to destroy the peaceful population, which was stopped thanks to the efforts of Araik Hayriyan and other servicemen.
“Their goal was to take our position: if they took it, they would reach the Khachen bridge in two minutes. We fought all night so that the enemy could not come forward, so that the population of Martakert was able to leave at night,” he said.
The position where Arayik performed the duties of the commander was located two kilometers below the Khachen bridge. According to him, the enemy with a large number of troops and military equipment has advanced in the direction of their positions since September 18.
“They came with weapons. On September 19, at 1 p.m., the enemy’s first shell was fired in the direction of our position. Our position was located two kilometers below the Khachen bridge. Their goal was to capture the Khachen bridge to cut the connection between Martakert and Stepanakert. We launched a counterattack; we were destroying their military. I counted three hundred enemy soldiers, there were 10-12 of us in our position. According to my calculation, we destroyed 137 of them,” he said.
Araik says that there were heavy battles, the enemy managed to capture the position about half a kilometer away from their position. “There were three wounded in my position, there were no casualties. The more the enemy entered the occupied position on the side, the more we destroyed,” he recalls and adds that there were no supporting forces: if there were, they could have fought more and the outcome might have been different.
“We had no one to come and help us hold our positions. On the night of the 20th, they told us to pull out. As much as it was possible, we defended our positions with as many weapons as we had. We accomplished our task, but we had casualties, there was no supporting force. Maybe they could resist for another 2-3 days, but they needed help. They say that the weapons remained, were not used: the weapons were there, but there were no people; there were many casualties. It was clear that we were going to leave and they were going to come and take the weapons, there were three- or four-days’ worth of weapons left in the warehouses,” he said.
Arayik Hairyan is currently unemployed. He wants to continue his service; however, he has not yet received an offer from the NSS.
“My staff and I will continue our service in any part of Armenia, but for some reason they cause problems. We applied to the NSS, they called us twice for an interview, but there is no news. I am ready to serve in any part of Armenia, from Kirants to Kapan: this is my homeland,” he said.
It should be noted that these days the National Assembly is discussing the adoption of legislative amendments, which will give the opportunity to the employees of the National Service of Artsakh to join the special service of Armenia.
Narek Kirakosyan