FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE) – A journey to Armenia by a Fresno medical mission became exponentially more dangerous three days before it was due to leave – following a military strike on Nagorno Karabakh, a territory between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The area is home to 120,000 ethnic Armenians. The strike on September 19 ultimately claimed 30 lives and injured dozens of others, raising fears of more violence and the potential for genocide.
Concerns following that strike prompted 10 members of the Fresno medical mission to cancel their involvement – but Honorary Consul Berj Apkarian decided the mission and a planned medical conference in Armenia would continue.
Shelters opened to house the more than 100,000 refugees and Fresno’s medical mission donated medicine and supplies to help refugee families. The medical mission also took part in other life-changing work for Armenians in need.
The work of that medical mission is the subject of a special program on KSEE24 that aired on Tuesday. You can watch the special online in the video player above.
