It Was Terrifying: Gunfire Emitted Red Lights, Those Near the Positions Took Their Children Out, Eyewitness from Yeraskh

“The night was very terrifying, we were sleeping when relatives called us, saying to take the children out of bed because they were coming to take us. This was stated in an interview with NEWS.am by Svetlana Grigoryan, a resident of the village of Yeraskh.

“There were awful gunshots, and occasionally we heard the sound of an ambulance. We gathered with neighbors, sharing the horrors of the night. Relatives kept calling, asking how things were, we were crying,” she recounted.

“Then the situation calmed down a bit, and we didn’t go outside anymore. They were probably shooting until around three in the morning. The gunfire emitted red lights; it was visible that lights were going in both directions. They were shooting from both sides; it felt like a war had started. It resembled fireworks.”

“We were dressed and ready, expecting relatives to come and take us away, but when the situation calmed down a bit, I said, ‘Don’t come anymore,’” Svetlana added.

She noted that after three in the morning, the situation became calmer: “There are occasional gunshots, but there are no intense barrages. In the morning, we learned that our village head was injured; I don’t know anything more detailed. Those who were close to the positions took their children out. There’s a house 20 meters from the border, so it’s clear they fled, whereas we are a bit farther away. We were waiting for something to fall on our heads before we would go outside.”

“Now we are ready and waiting with cars to leave, but we don’t even have a place to go. Yes, we can go to a relative’s house for a couple of days, but this is not just a matter of two days. This is a situation that needs to be resolved: whether we stay or leave. Where can we escape if the weapons they are firing could reach Yerevan?” the resident of Yeraskh expressed her fears.