Agjabadi, Azerbaijan, Apr. 29
By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:
On Apr. 29, a group of journalists, consisting of representatives of foreign media accredited in Azerbaijan, and the local media, visited the Garakhanli village of Azerbaijan's Agjabadi district, which was shelled by the Armenian side from April 27 evening until April 28.
In the village the journalists surveyed the houses, which were destroyed by heavy artillery attacks and met with the village's residents, Trend correspondent reported Apr. 29.
Head of executive power of Azerbaijan's Agjabadi district Shahin Mammadov said that since the beginning of April, Armenians have been regularly shelling settlements located close to the frontline using large-caliber guns.
"The shelling was especially intense on the night of April 28," Mammadov said. "In total, more than 100 shells were fired at the territory of the district, and nearly 50 of them were fired at the Garakhanli village alone. Nearly 30 houses were damaged, and a part of them was completely destroyed."
The head of the district noted that the Armenian aggression doesn't allow people to live in peace, classes in schools are cancelled.
"The world community must ensure the relevant resolutions adopted by the UN are implemented," Mammadov said. "We want the conflict to be resolved peacefully. If this doesn't happen, all the population of the Agjabadi district is ready to fight after the order of the Supreme Commander."
The representatives of foreign and local media were accompanied by Spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Hikmat Hajiyev and Head of the press service of Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry Vagif Dargahli.
Starting from April 27 evening until 04:00 (GMT + 4) April 28, the Armenian armed forces were firing at the Azerbaijani settlements and the Azerbaijani army positions in the Terter and Aghdam districts of Azerbaijan.
Two people were killed and many more wounded as a result of the Aghdam shelling. At least 84 houses in the district were heavily damaged, some of them completely destroyed.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
