03.07.2026


In 1915, when the Armenians of Urfa stood before a struggle for existence, 15-year-old Azniv Mirzayan became one of the symbols of the city's heroic self-defense.

Following the brutal murder of her father, Isahak Mirzayan, and her elder brother, Apram, Azniv did not choose the path of flight or despair. Along with her younger sister, Osanna, she joined the defenders of Urfa, taking up arms for the protection of her native city. Although Osanna was soon killed during one of the battles, Azniv continued the struggle, becoming one of the most courageous participants of the self-defense.

Initially, she passed secret information to the Armenian fighters, but before long, she was directly participating in the battles. Azniv was known for her bravery, resourcefulness, and leadership qualities. Together with her comrade-in-arms, Mariam Chilingiryan, she led a group of young Armenian women who, dressed in men’s clothing and with weapons in hand, participated in operations against the enemy. Their courage impressed even their opponents; Fakhri Pasha, upon meeting the young Armenian women, expressed admiration for their bravery.

Years later, Azniv recalled the first day of the Urfa heroic battle: "In less than five minutes, the entire Armenian quarter was on its feet—united, ready to fight and die."

Azniv Mirzayan, a survivor of the Armenian Genocide, later settled in Brazil, where she started a family and maintained the memories of her native city and the heroic battle until the end of her life. The story of her life was passed down to generations through family relics, photographs, and testimonies.

In recent years, Azniv Mirzayan's grandson, Nelson Nersesian, donated important relics from his grandmother's personal archive to the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute: Azniv's Bible, photographs, personal items, and valuable family documents. These testimonies not only tell the life story of one heroine but also document the history of resistance, survival, and the preservation of memory among the Armenians of Urfa.

Azniv Mirzayan's life bears witness to the fact that during the years of the Armenian Genocide, Armenian women and girls were not only victims but also bearers of resistance, struggle, and national dignity. Her name remains a symbol of the heroic self-defense of Urfa and the unbreakable will of the Armenian woman.


Inessa Stepanyan
Head of Educational Programs at AGMI