Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct.2 / Trend K. Zarbaliyeva /
Today is the 20th anniversary of occupation of Azerbaijan's Khojavand region by the Armenian armed forces.
The region with an area of 1,458 square kilometers and with population of about 41,216 people was occupied by Armenian military forces on October 2, 1992.
The Khojavand region was established on the base of Martuni and Hadrut regions after the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region was liquidated in 1991. The territory of the region is 1,458 square kilometers. The population was 41,216 people on the eve of occupation. The Khojavand city (regional center), two large settlements (Girmizi Bazar and Hadrut) and 83 villages are situated in the region.
More than 100 residents of the Khojavand region died fighting for their Motherland.
According to the operational center controlling the destructive influence exerted on the environment and natural resources in the Azerbaijani occupied territories, drug crops planted in the occupied territory of Khojavand region are delivered to various countries. The flora and fauna are destroyed. Trees are cut down and transported to Armenia and other countries as building materials.
The center operates under the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.
One eastern plane tree with a diameter of 600 centimeters and height of 25 meters was protected as a nature sanctuary near Girmizi Bazar (Red Bazar) in Khojavand region.
Several other trees with a diameter of 24 centimeters and height of 12 meters, included into the "Red Book" were protected in the vicinity of the Garakend village in Khojavand region.
All the trees of the protective line were cut down on the territory of Elli Gedik in Khojavand region to the right and left sides of the road to Fuzuli region.