MONTE MELKONIAN WAS KILLED IN THIS DAY 20 YEARS AGO
16:47 12.06.2013
Monte Melkonian
National Hero Monte Melkonian (AVO) was killed on this day 20 years
ago in the village of Merzili in Aghdam region. Melkonian was born
on November 25, 1957 at Visalia, California to Charles and Zabel
Melkonian.
Throughout his lifetime he struggled for the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide, the protection of the rights of Armenians.
Melkonian carried several aliases over his career including “Abu
Sindi”, “Saro”, “Timothy Sean McCormack” and “Commander Avo” the last
being how troops under his command addressed him in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The last years of his life were spent fighting with the
Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army. Monte was killed in the abandoned
Nagorno Karabagh village of Merzuli in the early afternoon of June 12,
1993. He was buried at Yerablur cemetery in Yerevan, Armenia and is
revered by Armenians as a national hero.