Armenians Mourn Victims of Clashes; Yerevan Is Quiet
Armenians flew their republic’s flag and wore black ribbons Tuesday to mourn 24 people killed in clashes between Soviet troops and militants, an Armenian journalist said.
Streets were quiet in the southern republic’s capital of Yerevan on Tuesday after two days of clashes between Armenian militants and Soviet troops, said Bela Avitisyan, an editor of the official Armenian news agency Armenpress.
Leaders of the Armenian Communist Party and the republic’s government Tuesday declared a day of mourning for those slain in the fighting, according to Radio Yerevan and the independent Interfax news service.
Black ribbons and the red, blue and yellow flag of Armenia hung from windows in buildings and from cars. Radio stations interrupted regular programs to broadcast only somber music.
The official Soviet news agency Tass said the Soviet Interior Ministry counted 24 dead and 59 wounded in the fighting. It said one soldier, 22 “terrorists” and one woman were killed. Of the injured, 17 were soldiers and 42 civilians, the news agency reported.
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