Armenians commemorate 98th anniversary of the genocide

Thousands of people marched in the Armenian capital of Yerevan on Tuesday to commemorate victims of Armenian genocide.

Armenians are marking the 98th anniversary of the 1915 genocide which saw around 1.5 (m) million Armenians massacred by the Ottoman Empire.

People marched in Yerevan with lit torches to honor those killed.

They later gathered at the memorial to the victims to place flowers.

Representatives of various political organizations, students and school children took part in the march.

Marina Madoyan, a history teacher, explained she had brought her pupils to the memorial because the anniversary had a "huge significance".

"It's our history, our past and also our future. If you do not understand your past, you cannot have a future. We have to know our history to avoid repeating mistakes in the future," she said.

More than 20 countries have recognized the event that took place from 1915 to 1923 as a genocide committed against the Armenian people.


AP