On September 18, Larisa Gabrielyan turned 74 years old, and the next day she was forced to leave her home in the village of Sarnaghbyur in the Askeran region.
The woman who survived three Artsakh wars admitted that the last one was the most cruel, although she lost her husband during the first war.
As a result of Azerbaijani aggression on September 19, the village of Sarnaghbyur was completely destroyed. Larisa Gabrielyan clearly remembers the events of that tragic day.
“In the morning we heard the sounds of several explosions, then we sat down to eat, and then the sounds of shots were heard again, which gradually began to intensify. First we hid in the bathroom, where it seemed to be relatively safe. But a little later the house began to shake from the impact. After this, my son suggested leaving the house, going to the village administration building and making a decision to evacuate. He went along one road, and we went along another. As soon as we left the house, our son, who had gone a different route, and another person discovered wounded soldiers,” she said.
The head of the village brought the wounded to the peacekeepers, and then returned to evacuate the residents, but he could not take everyone out in one car.
Artsakh Ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan previously reported that of the 76 people living in the small village, five were killed, another 15 residents were wounded, and four others were captured. Three of the five killed were children - David Aleksanyan and brothers Mikael and Nver Kazaryan. Today, September 30, the funeral of two brothers was held in the city of Masis, Ararat Province of Armenia. David was buried a few days earlier.
Nine of the villagers, all hungry and exhausted, traveled in one car for two days.
Larisa Gabrielyan’s family of six settled in the village of Sayat-Nova in the Ararat Province.
"The woman is overwhelmed by a sense of uncertainty; she doesn't know what future awaits her family that left their home, car, tractor, a regular sewing machine, and other acquired property in their native village."
The woman is filled with a feeling of uncertainty; she does not know what the future awaits her family, who left a house, a car, a tractor, a seed drill and other acquired property in their native village.
“I was going to marry off my grandchildren, and the dowry was ready. We've already been back twice [], and we're not going back again. Is it possible to live with animals? There is no homeland, the homeland is gone, otherwise we would have been there,” Gabrielyan stated.
