24 years without Kalbajar

By Azernews

By Rashid Shirinov

April 2 sees the 24th anniversary of the occupation of Azerbaijan's Kalbajar region by the Armenian armed forces.

The region with the area of 1,936 square kilometers was occupied by Armenian invaders in 1993. As a result, 53,340 residents of Kalbajar became refugees and IDPs and had to move to other regions of Azerbaijan.

The Armenian attack, which started on March 27, left a total of 511 people died, while 321 were missing or captured. As many as 55 soldiers were killed during the fighting. in accordance with the estimations, Armenian occupation inflicted a damage to the Kalbajar region in the volume of $761 million.

The Armenian invasion destroyed entirely the center of the region, as well as about 150 villages, dozens of cultural and historical monuments, a museum, the Istisu sanatorium and many other facilities in the territory of Kalbajar. The invaders demolished more than 500 industrial, construction, catering and retail facilities, 97 schools and 76 health facilities.

Armenians destroyed beautiful monuments of Azerbaijan's history such as an Albanian temple in the Vang village, an Albanian church in Cherekdar, Lok fortress in Ganlikend, Ulukhan fortress in Garajanli, an Albanian church on the Tartar River, the fortresses of Galabonu, Jomerd, Keshikchi, several mosques and many others.

After the occupation of the region, UN Security Council adopted Resolution 822 demanding the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian forces from Kalbajar. However, Armenia keeps under control the region, along with other lands of Azerbaijan overall constituting 20 percent of the country's internationally recognized territory.

After the occupation of Kalbajar, the Armenians plundered natural resources and historical and religious monuments in the region. The region is rich with natural resources, especially gold fields such as Soyudlu-Zod with 112.5 tons of industrial resources, and Aghduzdagh and Tuxtun with more than 13 tons of resources.

Now Kalbajar is completely destroyed area reminding an uninhabited desert with the population of just 500 people.

“Back then, I was working in Kalbajar Department of Education... No one would have thought that Kalbajar could be occupied. Kalbajar looked like an impregnable fortress,” Tahir Rahimov, who was residing in Kalbajar until its occupation, said to modern.az remembering those tragic days.

He suggested that Kalbajar fell victim because of the incompetence of the authorities and military units of that time.

As a result of Armenian attack, Rahimov and his family left Kalbajar and went on foot to the Khanlar region.

"We walked 60-70 kilometers in two days. The traffic on the road was impossible; the road was covered with snow,” Rahimov said.

“Nobody would think that Kalbajar would become occupied and people would be driven out of their homes. Unfortunately, that happened...” he remembered with regret.

Rahimov also spoke about the Armenians-committed genocide in the Aghdaban village of Kalbajar on April 8, 1992.

“So many people were killed during this genocide! The Armenians savagely treated the peaceful people,” he said, recalling the atrocities by Armenians.

Rahimov added that he and other refugees of the Nagorno-Karabakh war are waiting for their soonest repatriation to the native lands.

“Although 24 years have passed since the occupation of Kalbajar, I see my native land, the village where I grew up and the house where I lived in my dreams. We are waiting for the day of returning to Kalbajar!” he said.