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Today, April 27, marks the birthday anniversary of Kyaram Sloyan, an Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Defense Army soldier with Yazidi nationality who died a hero’s death during the 2016 April War unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh. The fallen hero would have turned 24 today.

Machine gunner, private Kyaram Sloyan was one of the first victims of the four-day April War. The boys defending one of the military posts deployed at the north-eastern direction of the Line of Contact (between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan) were among the first soldiers to repel the offensive launched by Azerbaijan across the entire Contact Line. Captain Armenak Urfanyan, together with his fellow soldiers, managed to throw back the adversary’s attach twice. Under the pressure of the outnumbering forces of the adversary, the captain ordered his crew to retreat, continuing the battle alone. However, servicemen Kyaram Sloyan, Robert Abajyan and Andranik Zohrabyan refused to retreat and heroically fell together with their commander, fighting till their last breath.

Kyaram Sloyan was born in 1996 in Artashavan, a village in Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. He was dreaming of reconstructing his parental house and helping his parents and brothers after completing his military service. Today, Kyaram’s dream has come true, as his house has been renovated due to the support of different organizations and individuals.

On 28 May 2016, Kyaram Sloyan was posthumously awarded with the Order of the Combat Cross (first degree) of the Republic of Armenia.

“I am proud that my son is a hero. I have raised him and never thought he will ever be awarded a hero’s title. After only one year serving in army I learnt about his excellence in military service,” Kyaram’s late father had said during the ceremony of awarding hero’s title to his son. A part in the house is Kyaram’s corner, which features his personal items, medals, printed materials and all the other things that are related to Kyaram Sloyan’s heroic path.

Kyaram’s father himself was a war veteran who participated in the Karabakh liberation war. He died in 2017 aged 52 one year after the son heroically fell in the battlefield.

In total, three Yezidi soldiers – Kyaram Sloyan, Boris Ozmanyan and Hamlet Hajoyan – lost their lives during the April War.