Impact of the Syrian Crisis on the Local Armenian Community

This article examines the impact of the Syrian crisis on the Syrian Armenian community against the backdrop of the shifting power configuration in the Middle East. The Syrian conflict is conceptualised as a proxy war involving major external and regional actors (Russia, the United States, Türkiye, Iran, and Israel) and competing approaches to conflict management. Particular emphasis is placed on the turning point associated with Russia’s military intervention in autumn 2015, which altered the battlefield balance and contributed to the emergence of negotiation tracks, including the Astana process, as well as to the subsequent stabilisation of large parts of Syria.

The study focuses on Syrian Armenians as one of the region’s oldest and most institutionally developed communities, suddenly drawn into areas of intense fighting. Using a systemic approach combined with constructivist sensitivity to ethnic identity, the article analyses how violence, displacement, and targeted attacks affected community structures, demography, and the prospects for preserving Armenian identity. It argues that the war resulted in severe demographic decline–reported as a reduction from roughly 80,000 to about 10,000 Armenians in Syria–alongside the destruction of communal infrastructure and heightened threats to physical security.

A central part of the analysis concerns Armenia’s policy response: maintaining diplomatic presence in Syria, supporting humanitarian relief, and coordinating with the Russian Federation. The article documents key quantitative indicators, including the relocation of approximately 22,000 Syrian Armenians to Armenia, the delivery of over 300 tons of humanitarian aid in 2016-2017, and the work of Armenia’s humanitarian mission in Aleppo since 2019 (nine rotations; more than 1.2 million sq. m demined; around 580 explosive devices neutralised; medical assistance provided to over 50,000 residents).

Finally, the article addresses the “new geopolitical realities” following the change of power in Syria in December 2024 and Armenia’s establishment of official contacts with the new authorities in 2025. The findings suggest that Armenia’s diplomatic posture and the operational humanitarian track – implemented in coordination with Russia – functioned as an important mechanism for mitigating humanitarian risks and sustaining minimum conditions for the community’s continued existence and identity preservation.

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