Breaking News: ASALA Reemerges Amidst Artsakh Uprising

ASALA poster, taken from an ASALA Telegram channel.

By Josh Mognahan

ASALA, or the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia, is a left-wing Armenian militant group which was formed in the late ‘70s. Its primary goals were to establish a greater Armenia, and have the Turkish government recognize the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Allies included the Lebanese PLO and PLFP, though their Lebanese contemporaries did not partake in attacks or operations with ASALA and their relationship was amicable, their interactions were relegated to receiving training from these groups for their guerrilla experience. Hagop Hagopian, the founder of ASALA, was rumored to even be part of the PLFP in his early years.

Recruitment poster of an ASALA fighter posing next to the Armenian built We Are Our Mountains monument in Stepanakert. This was completed in 1967.

Because of political division, ideological conflict, death of senior leaders and loss of support from their Lebanese allies following the 1982 Israeli invasion, the militant group ceased to exist in the 90s, with the last bombing attack on a Turkish ambassador at the Turkish embassy at Brussels occuring in 1997.

Another ASALA recruitment poster

Leaked photograph of ASALA operations documents

Resurgence of pro Armenian sentiment stemming from the media coverage of the Nagorno Karabakh war, a concerned diaspora abroad and independent journalist sites like Unpopular Rear have helped produce soft power media rallying support for the Armenian cause. Pro-Armenian Telegram channels dedicated to providing support to Armenians in disputed Stepanakert have confirmed of ASALA agents infiltrating and assisting any Armenian rebel groups. Currently it is unknown whether the ASALA fighters are a newer organization or if it was reinstated by former members.

Their current spokesperson, Monte Melekian, urged Artsakh rebels to mobilize and take up arms against the Azeri threat. “We will not let our sacrifices in November be in vain. We have won against the Turkish horde and we can do so again.” Melekian quickly caught the interest of Azeri authorities and a reward was made for any information leading to his detainment.

Photograph taken by an Armenian citizen in Stepanakert of an Azeri wanted poster for the new ASALA spokesperson, Monte Melekian

Azeri troops have massed outside and in Azeri held areas of Stepanakert, so this call to arms may be a response to the military buildup.

Along with the Armenian allies, it seems as though there are Kurdish guerrilla factions coming to Stepanakert to help assist in thr fight against Azeris. PKK cadre members have been seen embedded in the Armenian side of Stepanakert, confirming Turkish and Azeri fears that Kurds have been and are involved in the fighting for disputed Artsakh. Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization have also claimed that ASALA worked with the PKK during their peak, and while it is unknown whether the two will collaborate closely in Stepanakert, both factions share a common interest of training and assisting local Armenian militia.

Thaleib Al-Sahara, who is a Shia extremist ringleader responsible for smaller attacks in Uzbekistan and large scale sieges in Astana, has confirmed to also show a keen interest in Stepanakert. According to Telegram channels linked to his extremist group, the Shia extremist organization has already planted cells in the Azeri side of Stepanakert, and that spies posing as Kurdish militia will be employed. His singling out of Kurds in the area further confirms a Kurd presence or at least fear of one in Stepanakert.

PNP wanted poster for Thaleib Al-Sahara, nom de guerre “the Desert Fox”. Al-Sahara orchestrated terror bombings in the Philippines and briefly commanded a sect of MOMPOVPA, a joint NPA-Abu Sayyaf militia group.

“God willing we will sow chaos and divide further the Armenians from their Kurdish bretheren.”, said one translated Telegram post.

Updates on the conflict and the players involved will be made as the story develops.