Azerbaijan, Baku, 8 May / Trend corr. E.Huseynli / Around 1,500-2,000 permanent oak trees were cut down and exported from the occupied territories in the Khacha yal zone of Shusha region of Azerbaijan by Armenians, Irada Ibrahimova, Head of the the Ministry news-service, stated to Trend on 8 May.
On 8 May, it is the 16th anniversary of the occupation of Shusha by the Armenians. The city is 29,356 hectares and about 20% of the territory is a woodland area. There are medicinal mineral water sources like Turshsu and Shirlan in the city, which can be compared with the well-known water sources of Yessentuki, with daily debit 70,000 and 342,000 cu m. Medicinal herbs are widely grown in the region.
There are facing stone fields with reserves 1,143 cu m, as well as Kechaldag clay fields with 397,000 cu m reserves suitable for use as construction materials.
In 1988, the State natural reserve Dashalti was set up in Shusha and Askaran regions with an area of 450 hectares. Since 1992, the territory has been under occupation and the reserve was completely destroyed.
Ibrahimova stated that the Operative Centre at the Ecology Ministry, which investigates the influence of destruction to the environment and natural resources in the occupied territories, disclosed a mass destruction of natural resources in the Azerbaijani occupied territories. Many permanent trees were cut and used as fuel from Shusha, as well as about 200 trees being cut on the Lachin road near Dordyol, Zarasli village being completely destroyed, two local schools were pulled down, many trees were also cut down near the Agziyasti cave and different buildings erected in its place.
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