BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 23
Trend:
Trend TV has prepared video report from Azerbaijan’s Zangilan district recently liberated from Armenian occupation, Trend reports on Jan.23.
At the beginning the report says that the Zangilan district is located in the southeast of the Lesser Caucasus, on the left bank of the Araz River, bordering on Armenia in the west and northwest, and on Iran in the south and southeast.
The report reminded that residents of the district underwent foreign invasions throughout history. When Armenian Armed Forces encircled the district 28 years ago, the residents were able to save their lives by crossing the Araz River to neighboring Iran.
"The victorious army of Azerbaijan under the leadership of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief achieved a historic victory, liberating all settlements of the district from occupation in three days starting from October 20, 2020," the report said.
The Zangilan district, occupied by the Armenian armed forces in 1993, was liberated 27 years later as a result of the counter-offensive operation of the Azerbaijani army. The residents, who were expelled from the land of their ancestors many years ago, will soon return to their homeland," the report further noted.
According to the report, all the settlements of the district, which had been under Armenian occupation for a long time, were plundered, destroyed or burned. The trees were cut down and taken to Armenia, the gardens were completely destroyed. In Zangilan city, urban city of the district, where 18,000 people used to live, no building remained. Valuable exhibits of the historical and ethnographic museum located in the city were stolen.
"The occupiers even demolished the mosque in the urban center, which dates back to the 17th-18th centuries. The mosque is believed to have been built in times of medieval Azerbaijani Safawi dynasty’s rule," pointed out the coverage. "During the years of occupation, not only historical monuments were plundered, but also graves. After removing and taking away the gravestones, Armenians aimed at the bodies of the deceased and pulled out their gold teeth."
Zangilan district, with an area of 707 square kilometers, was established in 1930. It includes 1 city, 6 settlements and 78 villages. The district was occupied by Armenia on October 29, 1993. During the occupation, dozens of national, historical and religious monuments were plundered, as well all settlements and even rural cemeteries were destroyed by the Armenians.