While fighting continues to rage in Syria, its residents, including Syrian-Armenians continue to escape. According to a United Nations survey, about 120,000 people have left Syria, most of them for Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon.

During the recent few days there were heated clashes in capital city Damascus, as well as near Aleppo, where about 45,000 Armenians have lived.

It is reported that Syrian-Armenians are being kidnapped and ransoms are demanded to set them free. Some Armenians have even got warnings by the rebels not to open their shops.

Despite these disturbing reports, on Sunday a video appeared on YouTube where one of the generals of the Syrian free army, reporting about the “liberalization” of Aleppo, which is considered to be the main residence for President of Syria Bashar al-Assad’s supporters, said that the religious and ethnic minorities, including Armenians had no reason to be worried about the activations of military actions there, and that they would defend all of them.

The Syrian-Armenians who came to Armenia, leaving members of their families, relatives or friends in Aleppo, are worried that the Aleppo-Yerevan flights are limited, the prices of tickets have risen, and therefore it becomes difficult to fly to Armenia.

There are two airlines that carry out the Yerevan-Aleppo-Yerevan flight once a week – Armenia’s national air carrier Armavia and Syrian Airlines. Both have sold out all tickets up until September. Last week Armenia’s Diaspora Ministry sent a letter to Armavia, asking to increase the number of flights and lower the ticket prices. Armavia has not officially stated yet whether it will provide additional flights.