Hayastan All Armenian Fund transferred the first donation of $63,060 to Latakia ambulance service in the Kessab outreach campaign.

Located in the northwestern corner of Syria, near the border with Turkey, Kessab had, until very recently, evaded major battles in the Syrian conflict. The local Armenian population had increased in recently years with the city serving as safe haven for those fleeing from the war-torn cities of Yacubiye, Rakka and Aleppo. On the morning of March 21 extremist foreign fighters launched a vicious attack on Kessab civilians, forcing them to flee neighboring Latakia and Bassit. 1800 Kessab Armenians found refuge in Latakia. There are no victims among Armenian population of Kessab.

Meanwhile, a LifeNews survey squad visited Kessab Armenians who found refuge in Latakia’s Armenian Apostolic Church and are assisted by volunteers.

The 840 refugees are supported by the Syrian government and Armenian Diaspora worldwide. Many of refugees doubt they’ll ever be able to return to their homes.

The counterattack of Syrian army fighting against the militants in Kessab is successfully progressing, with new details of the March 21 attacks becoming revealed.

According to Vesti.ru, Syrian army soldiers say that the militants aimed to cleanse the city of ethnic Armenians through intimidation. The attacks, they say, came from Turkey’s side, with Turkish soldiers assisting in the militants: Syrian border guars were shelled, with a route to Kessab thus freed for Islamic mercenaries.