Kapan Residents Anxious and Tense, but No Panic in the City: Mayor

The war unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh has seen active participation from residents of Syunik, who have suffered irreparable losses both in Artsakh and during the defense of settlements in the Syunik region. This was stated by Kapan Mayor Gevorg Parsyan during a working discussion organized by the Prosperous Armenia faction in the National Assembly.

He mentioned that on October 18, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a consultation with community leaders in Goris, suggesting a transition to self-defense. Artak Davtyan was appointed as the coordinator for the self-defense battles in the Syunik region. Parsyan remarked, “We received instructions from General Davtyan to occupy positions that were advantageous for us. We chose a front line that was far from our settlements, thus ensuring a security zone. Intense battles took place in Kapan, particularly in the areas of David Bek, Ujanis, Central, and Nerkhin Hand, resulting in casualties. However, we did not retreat even a single meter, maintaining those positions. After the November 9 declaration, we continued to hold our positions, ensuring the safety of our communities. Yet, on December 17, an unexpected order was issued by the Ministry of Defense to abandon those positions and return to the borders of Armenia. This has created serious problems for the people of Kapan,” said the mayor.

According to Parsyan, currently, the enemy is located 100 meters from the Syunik settlement and 1 kilometer from Kapan, and conceding those positions has made the Kapan community and several other settlements a target for the enemy.

The Kapan mayor also highlighted security issues related to roads, specifically the Kapan-Goris, Kapan-Jakaten, and Kapan-Agarak routes. “The Kapan-Goris and Kapan-Jakaten routes are operational, while we have had to refrain from using the Kapan-Agarak road, as it has come under enemy control, and there is still no regulation in place. Of course, there is an alternative road, but it needs major repairs and is significantly longer, becoming impassable even during the winter months,” explained Parsyan.

The mayor noted that negotiations were held yesterday between representatives of Azerbaijan and Armenia, with a proposal made to withdraw positions from the border by about 150 meters, creating a security zone to prevent contact and possible conflicts for the servicemen. “Our Ministry of Defense proposed to make this approach systematic along the entire border line, as there are places where they have pushed their positions closer to the border,” he said.

Parsayn assured that there is no panic among Kapan residents, but there is existing anxiety and tension. “They cannot envision what awaits. I am constantly asked about the future, but I do not have answers to that question. However, I am confident that everything must be done to ensure the safety of our population,” the Kapan mayor concluded.