Members of Armenia’s Yezidi community demonstrated outside the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan this morning and called for an end to Azerbaijani hostilities against Artsakh.

"Stop this fire. Sit around the table and discuss the matter with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries, international organizations. Find a solution to the issue,” declared Aziz Tamoyan, President of the National Union of Yezidis in Armenia

Tamoyan called for the condemnation of the leaders of Turkey and Azerbaijan, describing them as “terrorists”, adding that if the world powers do not stop violations against Artsakh the world in general will suffer as the terrorists now fighting on the side of Azerbaijan will move to other countries.

Tamoyan warned that Yezidis will go on hunger strike to protest the barbarism committed against the Armenian people if the issue is not resolved.

"I call on all the Yezidis of the world, to our Yezidis living in Armenia, to join our Armenian brothers," he announced.

According to preliminary data, some 600 Yezidis of Armenia are fighting alongside Armenians in Karabakh.

Spiritual leader of the Yezidi community, Bro Hasanyan called on the US government to take steps to end hostilities in Artsakh.

He said that Artsakh is Armenian land that decided to declare its independence.

“The Yezidi people have been by the side of the Armenian people since the 5th century and will remain so until the end. As a sheikh, I call on the Yezidis of the world to join the Armenian people. The Armenian people are our brothers, they are our friends, they are our saviors,” said Hasanyan, adding that Armenians and Yezidis will fight to the end to retain Artsakh.

A few days ago, the Azerbaijani press published photos of Yezidis fighting on the front lines, describing them as terrorists.

President of the Young Yezidis NGO Sayid Avdalyan, referring to the Azerbaijani accusations, said that Yezidis are full citizens of Armenia and are leaving for the frontline to protect their families and the country where they live.

"Armenia, Artsakh is our homeland. "Preserving the security of our homeland is also our obligation," Avdalyan said.

He reported that a second Yezidi volunteer detachment has already been formed and will soon leave for Artsakh.

Avdalyan said that the Yezidis living in Armenia are fighting on the front lines, and the Yezidis living abroad are participating in the protests, demanding the cessation of the war in Artsakh and the terrorist acts against Artsakh.

A U.S. Embassy employee approached the demonstrators and was informed about their demands. Two of the protesters then met with the representatives of the political department of the embassy and presented their demands

Photos by Ani Sargsyan