Molla Musa

Molla Musa is a village in the Shorayel area of the former Kars province, later in the former Duzkend (Akhuryan) district, and currently in the Shirak province. The provincial centre lies 5 km to the southwest of the town of Gumru, on the right bank of the Arpachay, at a height of 1,500 m above sea level. Until 1937 it had been subordinated to the Leninakan district.

Only 462 Azerbaijanis lived in the village in 1886, 591 in 1897, 671 in 1904, and 762 Azerbaijanis in 1914. In 1918 the Azerbaijanis were exposed to genocide by Armenian armed forces or deported. According to the Treaty of Kars in 1921, the village was integrated into Alexandropol district within the Duzkend district. The Armenians relocated from Türkiye were settled there. Following the establishment of Soviet power in present-day Armenia, the surviving villagers managed to return to their lands. The village was inhabited by 16 Azerbaijanis in 1922. In 1923–1924 the Azerbaijanis were expelled from the village. Currently, the village is inhabited only by Armenians.

The toponym was coined on the basis of the personal name “Molla Musa”.

The name of the village was first changed to “Musakan”, and then to “Voskehask” by the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR dated 26 April 1946. According to the law “On the administrative-territorial division of the Republic of Armenia” dated 7 November 1995, the village was integrated into the administrative territory of the Shirak province.

Geographical coordinates: latitude: 40°44’ N., longitude: 43°46’ E.