150 bodies retrieved from outskirts of Shushi, hundreds still missing – Artsakh president says

The bodies of around 150 Armenian troops were retrieved from the outskirts of Shushi, President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan said, adding that hundreds of bodies are still on the battlefields.

“Today is another difficult day for me, indeed, although we were able to save a part of our Fatherland and thousands of lives, we’ve had major human and territorial losses, and the 150 bodies of Armenian servicemen – each of them the light of one home and the entire Fatherland – retrieved from the outskirts of Shushi these days once again proves this. Hundreds of bodies are still on the battlefields, keeping their families and the entire nation in uncertainty and pain. During these days, I am providing much time to the families of the victims and those missing, comforting their pain and jointly searching for our fallen brothers,” Harutyunyan said in a statement on social media.

Harutyunyan highlighted the need for quickly increasing the security guarantees of the country and dealing with the post-war restoration of Artsakh and the Armenian people.

“Certainly there are other difficult external and domestic challenges, however I am most concerned with the serious threats disrupting [Armenia’s] domestic stability and solidarity,” he said.

The President called for national and state solidarity and unity and expressed serious concern over the “violence-based and intolerance trends” in Armenia.

President Harutyunyan called on all forces involved in the domestic processes to settle disagreements through civilized dialogue and in accordance the constitution to avoid potential shocks which “could become the gravedigger of the Armenian statehood.” He said he is activating political consultations with all political parties and figures to discuss the post-war restoration, reforms of public administration and other important issues of the pan-Armenian agenda.