23 years pass since Kalbajar occupation
By Nazrin Gadimova
Twenty-three years have passed since the occupation of Azerbaijan's Kalbajar region by Armenian armed forces.
Armenia, occupied the Kalbajar region on April 2, as a result of a large-scale military operation launched on March 27, 1993.
As a result of the unexpected attack, 511 people died, and 321 went missing or were captured; 55 soldiers were killed during the fighting; 53,340 residents of the Kalbajar region became IDPs. Moreover, 132 settlements and Kalbajar's gold deposits were seized by the Armenians.
More than 500 industrial, construction, catering and retail facilities, 97 schools and 76 health facilities were destroyed by the invaders.
The Armenians also destroyed Albanian temple in the Vang village, Albanian church in Cherekdar, Lok fortress in Ganlikend, Ulukhan fortress in Garajanli, Albanian church on Tartar River, the fortresses of Galabonu, Jomerd, Keshikchi, several mosques in the town of Kalbajar and Otaqli village, Taglidash Bridge over the Tartar River, a museum of history and ethnography, the Ashig Shamshir Cultural House, and the Seyid Asadullah shrine in the Soyudly summer field of the Kalbajar region.
Azerbaijan has repeatedly stated that Armenia carries out illegal activities on the occupied territories. Currently the Armenians residing in the occupied territories have destroyed most of the substantial natural monuments. Moreover, the Armenian vandals are plundering rich natural resources, which belong to the Azerbaijani people.
Kalbajar's residents, who live with a sense of homesickness, will never forget about the terrible days of the Armenian invasion.
Following the region's occupation, the U.N. Security Council adopted Resolution 822 demanding an immediate withdrawal from the region and other occupied areas of Azerbaijan. Armenia has not fulfilled the resolution.
In addition, contrary to the UN and OSCE principles, the Armenians have pursued purposeful settlement of people in Kalbajar since 1999.
Over the long time, Azerbaijan has been suffering from aggressive policy pursued by Armenia, which occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions, after laying territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor that had caused a lengthy war in the early 1990s.
Despite the vandalism committed by Armenian invaders against the Azerbaijani people, these heinous acts have not received due condemnation by the world community to date.The Azerbaijani people still tolerate the Armenian vandalism and the unjust position and double standards of the international community.
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Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova
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