Aghbiur Serob – Armenian Fedayis

Agphiur Serob (born Serob Vardanyan) occupied a special place among the revolutionaries of Western Armenia.

Serob was born in the Sokhord Village of the Khlat Gavar in 1864. He has been participating in the national liberation movement against the Turkish domination since his youth. In 1891, Serob left his birthplace because of being pursued by the Turkish government. His new place of residence became Constantinople and then Romania.

In late 1895, he along with a group of 27 people returned to Khlat and set up self-defense, fighting against the punitive units of the Turkish government. The 7 detachments commanded by Serob became the lifesavers for the people of the villages of Tegut and Sokohrd.

Serob’s name became increasingly known – he was considered a national hero and a protector of the peasants who called him Aghpiur Serob. His spectacular victories over the Turkish troops in Shamiran, Dzhrgor, Sokhord, Nembut, Sasun, and Khatvin have been fantastically audacious and selfless. Together with Serob fought his wife Sose, who is considered a heroine of the Armenian revolutionary movement.

After the renowned battle near Babshen on October 20, 1898, Serob could no longer remain in Khlat. Being chased by the units of the Turkish government, he was forced to shelter in Sasun.

Turkish troops repeatedly surrounded his house, but Serob and his soldiers either broke through the enemy units or just disappeared from right under their noses.

One of those battles wasn’t so successful. Surrounded by the Turkish units in the village of Gelieguzan, the group of Serob fiercely resisted their assault, but alas, his wife Sose (Sose Mayrig) was injured while his son and two brothers were killed. In November 1899, the Turks managed to poison Serob through a traitor from Serob’s ranks. The traitor was later killed by Gevorg Chavush and Andranik.

Aghbiur Serob has been one of the first Armenian fedayis. His group has been brave, resourceful, and exceptionally skilled. Serob hasn’t been a mere organizer and the leader of the revolutionary movement in Western Armenia – his character has become an ideal image of an Armenian fedayi.