The fall of Togh
Losses among civilians in Togh and Evacuation
On October 21, 2020, Togh village came under the control of Azerbaijan. During the fighting in Togh village, the Armenian side had two wounded.
Two civilians in the village were killed after the Azerbaijanis entered the village. Both victims were elderly people who, despite the evacuation of the village, remained there. One more resident of Togh, a serviceman, was killed during the battles in the Martuni region.
After the war, the inhabitants of the village were displaced to different regions of the Republic of Armenia and Artsakh. The largest community of the former villagers is now in Stepanakert, then in Yerevan and nearby settlements.
Two civilians in the village were killed after the Azerbaijanis entered the village. Both victims were elderly people who, despite the evacuation of the village, remained there. One more resident of Togh, a serviceman, was killed during the battles in the Martuni region.
After the war, the inhabitants of the village were displaced to different regions of the Republic of Armenia and Artsakh. The largest community of the former villagers is now in Stepanakert, then in Yerevan and nearby settlements.
9 conscripts from the Togh village of the Hadrut region of Artsakh participated in the war of 2020 in different parts of the front. Among them, Zhora Sahakyan died on October 30 at the height called "Uryan" in the Martuni region.
Zhora's father, Vahid Sahakyan
On the day the war began, on the morning of September 27, 2020, Vahid Sahakyan was in Togh with his wife and two daughters. At that time Zhora was in military service as a conscript.
From the first day of the war, Vahid was in touch with Zhora. He, along with the battalion in which he served, participated in combat actions in Mardakert.
On October 23, the battalion was deployed to Martuni and from October 25 joined the battle.
From the first day of the war, Vahid was in touch with Zhora. He, along with the battalion in which he served, participated in combat actions in Mardakert.
On October 23, the battalion was deployed to Martuni and from October 25 joined the battle.
"During our conversation, he said, 'Grandpa, we are holding an important position, so if we surrender this, they will enter the city.' I don't know what he meant by city, Chartar or Martuni, but it is certain that those conscripts completed their task to the end," recalls Vahid Sahakyan.
According to Vahid, there were positions left over from the 90s, they did not manage to dig new ones.
On the evening of October 30, at about 6 p.m., as a result of an air strike on the position of the "Uryan" height, Zhora Sahakyan and other 18 servicemen were killed.
On the evening of October 30, at about 6 p.m., as a result of an air strike on the position of the "Uryan" height, Zhora Sahakyan and other 18 servicemen were killed.
Zhora Sahakyan
After the war, on November 18, 2020, SAR teams took out the remains of the dead military personnel from the "Uryan" height. On December 15, the body of Zhora Sahakyan was identified by DNA, and the next day he was buried in the Yerablur military pantheon.
Evacuation of the village
On the very first day, before the Azerbaijanis reached the village the partial evacuation of the Togh population had begun.
"At first, part of the people evacuated to the rear villages - Tumi, Hakaku and other places, because we were protecting ourselves from the artillery shells. But already on October 1, the people were completely evacuated from the village," says Vardan Grigoryan, head of the Togh community.
"At first, part of the people evacuated to the rear villages - Tumi, Hakaku and other places, because we were protecting ourselves from the artillery shells. But already on October 1, the people were completely evacuated from the village," says Vardan Grigoryan, head of the Togh community.
What's left in the village
“There are people who did not even have time to take the documents. There were people who managed to take only the documents and leave. The property of the villagers, livestock, agricultural machinery, and a large number of cars were left. Part of the agricultural machinery was evacuated on October 18 to the Martuni region," says Vardan Grigoryan.
Casualties among civilians
Despite the fact that the evacuation of villagers, primarily women and children, was organized from the beginning of the war, there were two civilian victims in the village. Both of them were killed near their houses after the capture of Togh by the Azerbaijanis.
Martik Aleksanyan (born in 1963) lived in Togh with his wife and children.
After the start of the 2020 war, Aleksanyan escaped his family to Stepanakert and returned to the village to continue agricultural work.
Despite the persuasion of the family, Martik Avetisyan stayed in the village until the end.
After fighting on October 21, the Azerbaijanis captured the village and killed the two elderly civilians who remained there.
On December 19, the body of Martik Avetisyan was found in the courtyard of his house with a gunshot wound to the head.
After the start of the 2020 war, Aleksanyan escaped his family to Stepanakert and returned to the village to continue agricultural work.
Despite the persuasion of the family, Martik Avetisyan stayed in the village until the end.
After fighting on October 21, the Azerbaijanis captured the village and killed the two elderly civilians who remained there.
On December 19, the body of Martik Avetisyan was found in the courtyard of his house with a gunshot wound to the head.
Radik Stepanyan (born in 1937) lived in Togh with his wife.
At the beginning of the 2020 war, his son was on the front line as a contract soldier. After October 10, he managed to contact his parents and tell them to leave the village, as it was already dangerous.
According to the villagers, the Stepanyans agreed to leave the village, but Radik Stepanyan's health declined in the car and he remained in the village.
After the fighting on October 21, the village had been occupied by Azerbaijani armed forces.
On December 19, Radik Stepanyan's body was found near his house with gunshot wounds to the head and both thighs.
At the beginning of the 2020 war, his son was on the front line as a contract soldier. After October 10, he managed to contact his parents and tell them to leave the village, as it was already dangerous.
According to the villagers, the Stepanyans agreed to leave the village, but Radik Stepanyan's health declined in the car and he remained in the village.
After the fighting on October 21, the village had been occupied by Azerbaijani armed forces.
On December 19, Radik Stepanyan's body was found near his house with gunshot wounds to the head and both thighs.
Directions of movement of the residents of Togh to Armenia and territories declared by Artsakh.
After the war, most of the inhabitants of Togh moved to the settlements of Artsakh and Armenia, as well as abroad.
As of March 2022, 98 out of 204 families live in Artsakh, 87 of them in Stepanakert.
95 families moved to Armenia. Most of them, 41 families, settled in Yerevan. A number of families also settled in other settlements near Yerevan.
The number of the families who moved abroad from the Togh after the war is 11.
An interactive version of the map via link.
As of March 2022, 98 out of 204 families live in Artsakh, 87 of them in Stepanakert.
95 families moved to Armenia. Most of them, 41 families, settled in Yerevan. A number of families also settled in other settlements near Yerevan.
The number of the families who moved abroad from the Togh after the war is 11.
An interactive version of the map via link.
The fall of Togh
Other stories of the project
- Togh as a principalityThe history of the principality village, its significance for Artsakh and Armenia.
- One-day battle for the villageOne-day battle for Togh and the fall of the village in 2020 Artsakh War
- Kataro wine and the economyThe fate of the most famous winery of Artsakh, the material and economic losses of the village.
