Azernews.Az

By Laman Ismayilova

Finnish Iltalehti magazine reporter Antero Eerola and photographer Jael Karppanen have visited Tartar region of Azerbaijan to familiarize themselves with the situation on the frontline and living standards of civilians and refugees and displaced persons temporarily living there, Azertac reported.

They first visited the Region Executive Authority where they were informed about the challenges facing the civilians living on the frontline, and the problems caused as a result of Armenia's shelling the residential areas.

Head of Tartar Executive Authority Mustagim Mammadov said that the regions's territory was located 48 km from the frontline.

"The Armenian armed units keep under constant fire the residential areas of the region, which are close to the line of contact and prevent the civilian population from doing farm works,” he noted.

Mammadov said that as a result of Armenia's ceasefire violation this April, 23 residential areas close to the line of contact, as well as 15-20 km from the contact line were subjected to heavy artillery fire.

"The Armenians even used the prohibited white phosphorous bombs. As a result nearly 400 houses, 4 schools, 2 medical centers, and a kindergarten were damaged, 32 houses were completely destroyed. Nine civilians were injured, 3 people died 2 of whom were IDPs. 52 houses, where internally displaced persons lived, were destroyed, 198 persons were left homeless again. Power facilities, communication lines and an agricultural area of 1500 hectares have been seriously damaged in Shikharkh, Chayli and Hasangaya villages where the majority of population were IDPs,” he said.

The journalists then visited a military unit and the houses which were destroyed by the Armenian shelling.

In Hasangaya village, they met with IDP families and enquired about their problems.

The Finnish media representatives also viewed the remains of Maragha 150 monument, which was erected in Shikharkh settlement by the Armenians themselves on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the resettlement of Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia still controls fifth part of Azerbaijan's territory and rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

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