Rafik Harutyunyan, 33, was killed during the Azerbaijani attack on Artsakh on September 19, 2023, in the Martakert region.

Rafik participated in the 4-day (2016) and 44-day (2020) Artsakh war and was in the hotspots of the fighting. From 2022, he joins the Artsakh Special Forces Department as an experienced military officer. The Harutyunyan family is from the village of Sarushen, Askeran region, after marriage, Rafik and his wife lived in the town of Askeran, they have two children. On September 19, 2023, the Azerbaijani armed forces attacked Artsakh, Rafik Harutyunyan fought his last battle. On that day, he was in combat position 718 located in the Martakert region, in front of the Kashen mine, in the direction of the Azerbaijani-controlled village of Nor Karmiravan.

On the 7th day of the 10 days of service, September 19 at 1 p.m., the attack began, 6 of the 9 people occupying the position were killed during the hour-long battle. At the start of the fighting, two of them left their position towards the Kashen mine to call for help. During the battle, which lasted about an hour, the Armenian side managed to inflict losses on the enemy, but the Azerbaijani side, which was on favorable heights, managed to capture the position after an hour . The captain of the combat position, during the fighting, was able to go wounded to the base of Russian peacekeepers located in the Kashen mine.

The body of Rafik Harutyunyan was transferred to Akna on September 23, along with the remains of 11 people who died in different positions. His body was burned beyond recognition. Rafik Harutyunyan’s wife and children have now settled in the village of Marmarashen, Ararat region, and are temporarily living in the house of Rafik’s friend. Rafik Harutyunyan’s body was identified on October 13. Relatives buried Rafik on October 15 at the “Yerablur” military pantheon.