Three Armenian soldiers who died on September 19 in Karabakh fighting advancing Azerbaijani troops were laid to rest today at Yerevan’s Yerablur Military Cemetery.

The three (Masis Mikayelyan - b. 2000, Sasun Asryan - b. 1997, Vahe Mamunts - b. 2001) were contract soldiers. Following the 2020 Artsakh war their parents moved to Armenia. Due to the nine-month Azerbaijani blockade of Artsakh, their parents couldn’t see them, until now.

On September 19, Gayane Mikayelyan lost her husband, Sasun Asryan, and her brother, Masis Mikayelyan.

Sasun was from the Hadrut village of Azokh village. People from the village now in Armenia attended the funeral. They say that in 1992 Sassoon's uncle also died, his name was also Sasun. "This is so painful for them," they told Hetq.

Two-year-old Arameh is playing, splashing his feet in some water on the ground. Arameh is Sasun Asryan’s son.

Sasun Asryan and Masis Mikayelyan were killed on September 19 in Martakert, Sasun was hit by a drone. Masis was shot by a sniper. Vahe Mamunts was from Karvatchar. After the 2020 war, Vahe's family moved to Armenia. He lived in Stepanakert with his grandmother and uncle's family. Vahe studied at Artsakh State University’s Faculty of Law, while serving in the defense army.

There are empty graves at the cemetery. Four more soldiers will be buried later today, three more tomorrow.