Armenian Fedayi ╬ ۞ Commander Garo Kahkedjian ╬ ۞ Crusaders ╬ ۞ Խաչակիրներ ✠ ✠ ✠ ۞ ۞ ۞ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garo_Kahkejian Garo Kahkejian From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Garo Kahkejian Nickname "the White Bear" Born Aleppo, Syria Died Magauz, near Mardakert, Nagorno-Karabakh Allegiance Armenia Years of service 1991-1993 Commands held Crusaders Detachment («Խաչակիրներ») Battles/wars Nagorno-Karabakh War Martuni Hadrut Mardakert Lachin Kelbadjar Relations grandson of Sahak "Aslan" (bodyguard of Dro) Garo Kahkejian was a famed Armenian military commander and participant in the Nagorno-Karabakh war. He was the founder and commander of the «Խաչակիրներ» ("Crusaders") volunteer detachment, and was known by his nickname "The White Bear". Kahkedjian was one of the Armenians from the Diaspora who volunteered to go and fight in the Karabakh conflict. [edit] Biography Kahkedjian was born in 1962 in Aleppo, Syria. He was educated in Germany and received a degree in architecture. In 1978 he graduated from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Frankfurt Engineering University. Afterwards, he lived in Fresno, California. After the devastating 1988 Spitak earthquake Kahkedjian arrived in Armenia for the first time, where he assisted the affected communities and helped raise funds from the diaspora. In the wake of the interethnic violence in Azerbaijan, Kahkedjian organized the "Crusaders" detachment and participated in the battles of Martuni, Hadrut, Mardakert, Lachin and Kelbajar. During the battle for the height of "Pushkenyal" he fought with his detachment, thus keeping the height until the arrival of Armenian forces. Kahkedjian died on June 26, 1993 near Mardakert in battles near the village Magauz. Garo Kahkedjian is buried at Yerablur.