Well, that’s it — a troop of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia was deployed to Syria yesterday. After months of political discourse, the issue is now at the level of realpolitik, and this has only deepened the concerns of public and political circles in Armenia.

Yesterday marked the launch of the humanitarian mission that was initiated by the new government of the Republic of Armenia and was discussed and criticized for months. According to the press release issued by the Ministry of Defense, a group of 83 Armenian specialists comprising humanitarian deminers, doctors and security personnel has arrived in the Syrian city of Aleppo to provide humanitarian aid to the Syrian people.

Earlier Sargsyan’s attorney Amram Makinyan confirmed to RFE/RL’s Armenian service Azatutyun that Sargsyan has indeed been questioned by authorities, but as a witness.

Armenia has always had a dynamic, turbulent and history-charged past, especially concerning culture, art and music but unfortunately also in respect to tragedies. More than 1700 years ago, the Armenians were the first worldwide to become Christians. In 11th century Armenian Bagratid lost their Kingdom in Armenia. Later, the country lost the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, the main bastion of the crusaders.

The Armenian specialists will carry out humanitarian demining, demining awareness of the population and medical services provision activities in the settlements of Aleppo that are free of military operations.

“Nikol Pashinyan, wearing his new suit that fits his position of Prime Minister, accompanied by a large delegation, tours in the corridors of the World Economic Forum. A few months ago that same person, a former journalist, wearing a military uniform, cap and a backpack was addressing the crowd with a speech in the capital city of Armenia, Yerevan.

Former President Robert Kocharyan will remain in jail as the Court of Appeals has rejected his motion requesting bail.

A citizen of Azerbaijan, Rashad Alizade, has applied to the Foreign Ministry of Artsakh for granting him citizenship of Artsakh. 

A significant decrease in the number of traffic accidents with fatal outcome has been recorded in January 2018 against the previous year’s same month, according to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

First Deputy Minister of Agriculture Gegham Gevorgyan has departed for Germany to participate in the upcoming Fruit Logistica 2019 in Berlin. Armenia will participate at the event for the first time with its individual pavilion, the ministry said.