BAKU, Azerbaijan, Oct.21
By Jeyhun Alakbarov – Trend:
Comprehensive measures are needed to monitor, restore, preserve and research Azerbaijani historical and cultural monuments that were located in the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia, the State Service for the Protection, Development and Restoration of Cultural Heritage under the Azerbaijani Ministry of Culture told Trend on Oct.21.
The service noted that most of the monuments in the occupied territories were either Armenianized or destroyed.
“Undoubtedly, one of the main issues of concern to us about immovable historical and cultural monuments is the fate of our historical monuments located in the territories occupied by Armenia,” the service said.
“We hope that the valiant army of Azerbaijan will soon liberate all the occupied territories, and our spiritual heritage, historical and cultural monuments, which have been destroyed for about 30 years, will be restored," added the service.
Armenian Armed Forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27.
Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbaijani troops liberated a number of territories previously occupied by Armenia, as well as take important, strategic heights under control.
The fighting continued into October 2020, in the early days of which Armenia has launched missile attacks on Azerbaijani cities of Ganja, Mingachevir, Khizi as well as Absheron district.
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, the 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 the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.