On September 13, 2022, SOKT, a village in Gegharkunik on the border with Azerbaijan, was savagely shelled by the Azeris in the middle of the night.

Five months later, we met the Mayor of Sotk, Xajakn Mkrtchyan and his deputy Ashot Barseghyan, who told us: The inhabitants of Sokt will never leave their land.

 We met Sempad, the father of Kevork, a young Armenian soldier who fell defending his homeland in September 2022 when his young wife was 3 months pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy whom she named Kevork in memory of his father.

We met Marine Hovannisyan, the mother of Hovhannes, who died at 18 years old in 2020.

 Her only wish is that her son did not die in vain. The Margaryan family told us that they are determined to defend the Armenian territory and never to leave their land. The inhabitants of Sotk whom we met are all very brave.

We noticed the presence of the Red Cross which helps the families deprived because of the consequences of the attacks and the war and of the World Food Programme which brings an active help to the agricultural development of this area by selecting farmers for the development of irrigation and the contribution of techniques to develop intensive agriculture.

Lydia, Norvan and Roger Gasparyan

Beautiful Khatchkar from the 13th century in the village of Sotk.

An inhabitant of Sotk, the last village before the front line.

Sevak Khatchatryan, head of the Sokt commune, a fierce resistance fighter from Sokt who shows his solidarity with Artsakh.

Her husband was seriously wounded in September 2022.

Sotk, Surp Astvatsatsin church 7th century

Father of Kevork killed in September 2022

Little boy from Sotk

Little girl from the village of Sotk

Active presence of the Red Cross in Sotk

Mayor of Sotk Mgrdichyan his deputy Ashot Barseghyan and Sevak Khatchatryan responsible for the communitý

Mayor of the Community of Sotk, Khajakn Mkrtchyan

Mariné Hovhanissian, mother of Artashes who died during the 2020 war at 18 years old

Brother of Kevork on the picture, killed in September 2022

Guards of Sotk at the front line

The inhabitants of Sotk are all from Western Armenia