23:03, 14 November 2015

Residents of Yerevan lit candles in memory of victims of terror acts in Paris

A candle-lighting ceremony in memory of the innocent victims of a series of terror acts committed in Paris was held today in the Square of France in Yerevan.

On November 13, Paris was shocked by a series of terror acts. Suicide bombers detonated their bombs near the "Stade de France" Stadium; dozens of people were killed in the streets, bars and cafes in the centre of the French capital. Several armed men captured the audience at the concert of the American rock band in the "Bataklan" Hall, and shot them dead from automatic weapons. According to the latest data, the attack was committed by eight terrorists, seven of whom blew themselves up using belts stuffed with explosives. The eighth one was killed by policemen. The death toll of the tragedy made 129 persons, the TASS reports.

Since early morning, residents of the Armenian capital began bringing flowers to the French Embassy in Yerevan to express condolences over the terror acts in Paris. In the evening, they also brought candles and posters reading "We stand in solidarity with the French people", "Vive la France!" and "Stop terrorism!" to the monument of Auguste Rodin in the Square of France.

At 8:00 p.m., the candle-lighting ceremony was opened by the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan. He laid flowers and paid tribute to innocent victims.

The government and the people of France are grateful to Armenian people for their compassion, Jean-François Charpentier, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Armenia, said today in his interview with reporters.

"Once again innocent people fell victim to terrorism. This is a manifestation of religious intolerance. Judging by telegrams and messages of condolence we receive all day long, we can state that everybody is determined to combat this common evil," the ambassador said.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.