Armenian President Armen Sarkissian visited Yerevan’s Yerablour Military Pantheon today and laid flowers at the tomb of Vazgen Sargsyan, Armenia’s first Minister of Defense and ex-Prime Minister, who would have turned 61 today.

Vazgen Sargsyan and other government officials were shot to death on October 27, 1999 by five armed men who stormed Armenia’s National Assembly.

Sargsyan led Armenian volunteer units during early clashes with Azerbaijani forces in Karabakh and became one of the most prominent of Armenian commanders during the war.

President Sarkissian also laid a wreath at the tomb of Zoravar Andranik and at the memorial wall built to commemorate those who died for Armenia’s freedom.