YEREVAN. – In parallel with the tense situation in Syria, the issue of evacuating the Syrian Armenians remains a top priority, Hraparak daily reports.  

“According to official data, there were approximately 80,000 Armenians in Syria before the start of the Syrian conflict. [But] at present, according to the data by Firdus Zakaryan, Armenian Diaspora Ministry Chief of Staff and Syrian-Armenian Committee Chairman, there are 50,000 Armenians in Syria.     

“In his words, some Armenia-based organizations and Syrian-Armenian church and community organizations are engaged in the Syrian Armenians’ affairs. They are trying to do everything so that there would not be panic.

“The evacuation of the Syrian Armenians has become [more] difficult in the sense that air ways and land roads are closed in Syria. There is [even] information that the situation in Syria has become so tense that many families do not even have money for airplane tickets,” Hraparak writes.