26 years pass since occupation of Gubadli region

By Azernews

By Abdul Kerimkhanov

The last day of summer in 1993 was full of hatred and inhumanity of Armenian occupiers against the civilians. August 31 is the day of the occupation of Azerbaijan’s Gubadli region by the Armenian armed forces.

The territory of Gubadli region is 802 square kilometers. There are one city and 93 villages in its territory. On the eve of the occupation, about 30,000 people lived there.

During the military aggression against Azerbaijan, Armenia occupied the Gubadli region, which was outside the borders of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region of Azerbaijan.

As a result of the Armenian aggression, 238 people in Gubadli region were killed, while 146 people became disabled. Gubadli martyrs Aliyar Aliyev, Vasily Aliyev, Aslan Atakishiyev, Alakbar Mammadov, Kerem Mirzayev, Agil Mammadov, Beylar Agayev, Kazimaga Karimov, Safa Akhundov were awarded the title of National Hero of Azerbaijan.

After the attack of Armenian armed forces, 6,988 residential buildings, 1,080 agricultural facilities, 32 communication facilities, 86 health care buildings, 180 culture buildings, six industrial enterprises, 650 km of roads, nine bridges, two reservoirs, 150 km of the main water supply line, 4,830 km were destroyed electric lines, 165 km of the main gas pipeline, 146 buildings of departments, enterprises, 18 mills, four hydraulic pump stations, 120 electric substations and transformers, 13,365 hectares of forest land remained under occupation.

The Armenians also plundered the Gubadli Museum of History and Local Lore, which housed over 5,000 very rare exhibits. Currently the sanctuary “Gavur daryasi”, dating back to the fourth century, the monuments “Galaly” and “Goygala” dating back to the fifth century, the “Damirchilar Turbesi” built in the 14th century, the bridges of Haji Badal, Lalazar, as well as other historical Monuments in the villages of Eiin, Yusifbeyli, Seytas, Garagadzhli and Khojamsahli are under occupation.

Before the occupation, the basis of the economy of the Gubadli region was grain growing, animal husbandry, tobacco growing, sericulture and viticulture. There were two grape processing plants, one meat and dairy production plant, one asphalt plant, one incubator poultry farm, one fish breeding, one stone quarry, one marble processing workshop, etc. In general, there were 62 departments and institutions in the region.

Besides, there were 61 comprehensive schools, including 33 secondary schools and 12 primary schools in the Gubadli region.

There were about 180 cultural and educational institutions in Gubadli. As many as 84 libraries, 12 houses of culture and 44 clubs, seven auto clubs were provided for the use of Gubadli’s population. There were also two children's music schools in the region.

Adopted by the UN Security Council after the Gubadli occupation, resolutions 874 (1993) and 884 (1993) strongly condemned Armenia-led occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan and expressed serious concern about the humanitarian catastrophe along the southern borders of Azerbaijan and the expulsion of a large number of civilians from their permanent residence.

Both resolutions demanded the unilateral withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. However, Armenia is still evading the fulfillment of these requirements.