Azernews.Az

By Akbar Mammadov

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an order on additional measures to eliminate the damage caused to the civilians, state property, as well as infrastructure facilities as a result of intensive shelling of the Tovuz region by the Armenian Armed Forces, the presidential website reported on August 6.

Under the order, about $0,6 million (AZN 1 million) will be allocated to the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Azerbaijan from the reserve fund of the President envisaged in the state budget for 2020.

According to the order, the allocated fund will be used to eliminate the damage caused to the civilian population of Agdam, Dondar Gushci, Vahidli, Alibayli, Yukhari Oksuzlu and Asgahi Oksuzlu villages of the Tovuz region.

The Ministry of Finance will provide the funding of the allocated money, and the Cabinet of Ministers will suggest its proposals on the work necessary to improve the social infrastructure in the villages of Aghdam, Dondar Gushchu, Vahidli, Alibeyli, Yukhari Oysuzlu and Ashagi Oysuzlu of Tovuz region to the Azerbaijani President within one month.

Earlier, on July 23, representatives of relevant state bodies and the expert working group began assessing the damage caused to Tovuz region as a result of Armenia’s military provocation.

As a result of the inspection of 61 houses and farms in the aforementioned villages, it was revealed that six houses and auxiliary buildings are in an emergency condition and require capital repair. In addition, 15 houses and ancillary buildings, as well as stables, were severely damaged and 40 houses and farms suffered minor complications.

Several farms were severely damaged too as a result of artillery shelling. Thus, 20-25 small cattle animals and 70-75 poultry were killed, 300-350 bales of hay collected for winter storage were completely burned, some cars were seriously damaged by shell splinters, household items and garden crops were damaged in 15 houses.

The cross-border fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan started on July 12 with Armenia's firing artillery at Azerbaijan's positions in the direction of Tovuz region. Azerbaijani army lost 12 servicemen as a result of Armenian attacks. One civilian was killed as a result of artillery fire by the Armenian armed forces.

Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a conflict over Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh breakaway region, which along with seven adjacent regions was occupied by Armenian forces in a war in the early 1990s. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and around one million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

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Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

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