Kassab's Armenians find safe haven in Turkey - Al-Monitor: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Dominique Soguel

Dominique Soguel

May 14, 2014

Men rest in Vakifli village, which is located in Hatay province, June 13, 2007. In sleepy Vakifli, Turkey's last surviving ethnic Armenian village, perched high among orange groves overlooking the east Mediterranean, elderly farmers say they will probably vote for the Islamist-rooted AK Party in July 22 elections. Picture taken June 13, 2006. To match feature TURKEY-ELECTION/CHRISTIANS REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) - RTR1QYGY — Men rest in Vakifli village in Hatay province, June 13, 2007. — REUTERS/Umit Bektas

VAKIFLI, Turkey — Evicted by Islamist rebels from the last Armenian village in Syria, a group of elderly apple farmers have found an idyllic refuge across the border in the land of their historic enemy, Turkey.

Seated on plastic chairs, three brothers recounted how after years of life in the shadow of conflict, war came knocking at their door in Kassab, a Christian Armenian town just across the border from the village of Vakifli.

Free Syrian Army fighters stand on a tank at the Armenian Christian town of Kasab March 28, 2014. After months of setbacks in central Syria, Islamist rebels launched an offensive last Friday into the Latakia region, taking the border crossing and the Armenian Christian village of Kasab. The border crossing at Kasab they seized had been the last point of entry from Turkey into territory fully under control of Assad's forces, since most of the northern border region is already under rebel control. REUTERS/Str

Turkey losing propaganda war over Syrian Armenians

Amberin Zaman

Amberin Zaman

In London, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

US celebrity Kim Kardashian (C) sits between her mother Kris Jenner (L) and Middle East Broadcasting Center (MBC) presenter Joelle Mardinian, during an interview in Dubai on October 14, 2011, where they are promoting the UAE's first branch of the Millions Milkshakes store. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read -/AFP/Getty Images)

Armenian-Americans blame Turkey for Kassab invasion

Pinar Tremblay

Pinar Tremblay

A rebel fighter gestures as he runs across a street in Mleha suburb of Damascus, during what the rebel fighters said was an offensive against them by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, April 2, 2014. REUTERS/Bassam Khabieh (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTR3JQRF

Syria's moderate rebels still losing ground to extremists

Antoun Issa

Antoun Issa

Turkish soldiers march during a ceremony to mark the 89th anniversary of Republic Day in central Antakya, in the southern border province of Hatay, October 29, 2012. REUTERS/Murad Sezer (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS ANNIVERSARY MILITARY) - RTR39QA9

Fear of war grips Turkish border province

Amberin Zaman

Amberin Zaman

In London, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture