In a tearful and emotional reunion, Lebanese-Armenian Maral Najarian has returned home to Beirut, after spending the last 4 months in Azerbaijani captivity.
Najarian, who had survived the devastating August 4 Beirut Port explosion had last been seen on November 10th and was taken hostage by Azeris in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Like many Lebanese-Armenians who moved to Armenia after the blast, she decided to re-settle in Artsakh, the long-disputed region over which violent conflicts between Armenia and Azerbaijan have taken place.
Tensions between the neighboring countries rose once again and a war was waged between September 27 to November 10, forcing her to take refuge in a city in Armenia.
After the armistice was declared, she reportedly went back to the hotel in Nagorno-Karabakh, where she was staying, to collect her things. However, that was the last time she was seen – until now.
Although visibly exhausted with the tinge of her traumatic experience coloring her face, Najarian is back as a survivor of multiple hellish experiences..
is back as a survivor of multiple hellish experiences..
“Happy” #WomensHistoryMonth
The same woman in both photos: #MaralNajarian before & after her illegal imprisonment in Azerbaijan.
She passed through the hellRight now, over 200+ Armenians are still illegally imprisoned in Azerbaijan.#UntilTheyAreHome #FreeArmenianPOWs pic.twitter.com/PGp1PEybgY
— Anzhela (@ANZHELA_YAN) March 10, 2021