TODAY.AZ / Politics

Armenian vandalism: war crimes and termination of heritage of whole nation

29 June 2016 [15:19] - TODAY.AZ

/By Azernews/

By Gunay Camal

Cultural and historic heritage – the principal means by which one nation understands the world, identifies itself among many others and leaves for generations to preserve – is coming under attacks by Armenian vandals, who destroy everything on their road to keep the occupied territories and thus as a target that must be eliminated.

For more than two decades Azerbaijan suffers from vandalism of Armenia, which keeps under occupation 20 percent of its neighboring country. This vandalism is not limited to private people of over million Azerbaijani refugees and IDPs, who were forced to leave their homes following the Nagorno-Karabakh war, but also historical and spiritual heritage.

The State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations has recently announced the list of historical and religious monuments in the frontal area, which were damaged during the April provocation of Armenia.

The shelling of Agdam and Terter regions resulted in destruction of historical and religious monuments of the 19th century, while some mosques were irreparably damaged.

"The shelling caused cracks on the walls of mosques in villages Khindiristan, Ahmadagaly and Zengishaly of Aghdam. The same damage is also observed on the walls of "Juma" mosque in Terter. Artillery shell destroyed one of the minarets of "Juma" mosque in the town of Terter,” the committee stated.

The shelling of cemetery in Mahrizli village of Aghdam by Armenian militaries completely destroyed six graves, while tombstones of seven graves were damaged.

The State Committee further added that approximately 403 historical and religious monuments, 67 of which are mosques, 144 are sanctuaries and 192 are places of worship have been left in the occupied territories.

As many as 34 towns and villages along the contact line between the Armenian and Azerbaijani troops were fired at, a number of civilians, including children were killed and wounded as a result of the Armenian attack and the subsequent strikes in early April, 2016.

As many as 353 civil buildings were destroyed or seriously damaged, some 314 of which are private houses, three schools, three kindergartens, one cultural center and catering building.

For over two decades, Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in conflict, which emerged over Armenia's territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor. Despite the official ceasefire back in 1994, each year the conflict becomes a cause of the deaths of dozens of civilians and military.

Shusha, Agdam, Fizuli, Jabrayil, Zangilan and Gubadli cities were completely ruined and plundered by the Armed Forces of Armenia. Today’s views of Agdam and Shusha cities resemble the ghost cities, while before the occupation there existed over thousand Azerbaijani residential settlements, hundreds of historical and architectural monuments, caravanserais, mansions, mosques, mausoleums, cemeteries, sepulchres, tombstones etc.

Armenian militants are also destroying archaeological treasures and smashing sculptures and statues, which prove to whom these lands historically belonged.

Today, not a single historic and cultural monument or tombstone belonging to Azerbaijani nation can b found in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Armenians implement policy of vandalism in a planned manner in Nagorno-Karabakh, while the Armenian government is engaged in ruthless “armenization” of historical, architectural and cultural monuments.

In total, Armenians plundered and set alight 464 historical monuments and museums and nine palaces of historical importance. 152 sacred places and temples, including 62 mosques remaining in the occupied territories have fallen victim to Armenian aggression.

Over 4.6 million books and samples of rare manuscripts were destroyed in 927 libraries which were razed to the ground or set on fire.

It is impossible to assess the damage caused by Armenian vandals to the cultural sites of Azerbaijan in the occupied lands as the destroyed heritage are considered the exceptional masterpieces of not only Azerbaijan, but also the whole human civilization.

Besides the moral and psychological trauma caused to the Azerbaijani nation, according to the preliminary calculations, as a result of aggression of the Armenian Armed Forces, the damage inflicted on the Azerbaijani economy exceeds $800 billion.

URL: http://www.today.az/news/politics/152197.html

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