YEREVAN.- The Armenian community of Syria may be endangered if Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad’s regime falls, said head of the Oriental studies institute Ruben Safrastyan.

The Armenian community was in safety under Assad’s regime, he added.

“Islamist powers are struggling against the current regime. They are known to have negative attitude towards Christians, in particular Armenians,” Safrastyan told journalists on Thursday.

According to him, Turkey’s growing influence in the region is posing danger to Armenians.

“Ankara made use of changes in the Arab world to strengthen its positions. If pro-Islamic forces come to power in Syria, Turkey’s influence in the country will increase which is undesirable for Armenians,” he concluded.