Azerbaijan, Baku / Тrend corr S. Ilhamgizi / The damage caused to the environment of the occupied Azerbaijani Terter region from an arson attack by the Armenian Armed Forces was assessed at AZN 694,459, according to the Chief Consultant for the monitoring held in Terter region, Vagif Aliyev.
The employees of the Territorial Ecology and Natural Resources Department 8 of Barda region held a monitoring session due to the arson attack committed by the Armenian Armed Forces in the occupied Terter region. The results of the monitoring were publicized on 17 August.
According to Aliyev, as a result of the arson attack, 450 hectares in the occupied Talysh, Chayly, Hasangaya, Shykhar, Gyzyloba villages of Terter region were completely burned. Additionally a further 10 hectares of forests were also destroyed by the fire.
The damage in the territory of the five regions totalled AZN 70,785, namely fertile land AZN 495, forests AZN 108, 900, fauna AZN 10, 684 and environment AZN 9,090. The chief consultant of the monitoring reported that 37 species of animals which were included into the Red Book of Azerbaijan died in the fire.
The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus began in 1988 due to territorial claims by Armenia against Azerbaijan. Armenia has occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani land including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding Districts. Since 1992, these territories have been under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France and USA) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.