This is how Armenians destroyed Lachin
Exclusive footage on Caliber.Az

KARABAKH  17 August 2022 - 14:59

Throughout August, the topic of Lachin city, as well as Zabukh and Sus villages, where the Armenians illegally settled [in May 1992] and must leave by the end of this month, remains the main topic not only in Azerbaijani but also in Armenian and international media. Despite the fact that Lachin District was liberated from occupation on December 1, 2020, nevertheless, illegal settlers, including those from the Middle East, continued to live in Lachin city and nearby villages. However, after Azerbaijan built its part of the ultramodern road bypassing Lachin in record time, the question arose of restoring Baku's control over the city. Our country has once again shown an act of humanity by giving illegal settlers enough time for safe evacuation.

Caliber.Az has written several articles and notes about how the Armenians are destroying Lachin, Zabukh and Sus in the most barbaric way possible, setting them on fire and plundering them. Furthermore, Armenian journalists are not afraid to write about it, like Nairi Ohikyan, who claimed that a real robbery occurred in Zabukh village. However, it cannot be said that this process began right now, in August when Azerbaijan officially informed both Armenia and the Russian peacekeeping contingent that illegal Armenian settlers should leave the area. No, the looting began before August 2022, when it became clear to Armenia that Baku would manage the construction of the new Lachin road much sooner than the three-year deadline stipulated in paragraph 6 of the Trilateral Statement of November 10, 2020. However, in his address to the Azerbaijani people on December 1, 2020, President Ilham Aliyev warned about such a scenario: "... I said during conversations with the Russian president that Lachin city should also be returned to us. Therefore, we propose to build a new corridor. To develop the route of a new corridor connecting Karabakh with Armenia and build it. The time is also indicated here – within three years. But I think we can do it sooner. After determining the new corridor's parameters, Lachin city will also be returned to us."

Pay attention once again to the date of the president's address to the Azerbaijani people. Given the immutable fact that Ilham Aliyev's words never diverge from the deed, Armenia had no doubt that Baku would indeed build the road before 2023. And even then, preparations began for the merciless destruction of the infrastructure of Lachin District, which had to be liberated. Caliber.Az has obtained Lachin District's unique images taken from space. Some of the pictures are dated December 2020. The buildings are still intact on them. And here are photos of the same area, however, dated May 2022. The traces of vandalism and looting of Armenians are already clearly visible on them: the same houses have either been destroyed, or they left only walls without roofs, forests have been burned, and infrastructure facilities have been destroyed.

Of course, we did not expect the Armenians to respond generously to Azerbaijan's humanitarianism, given the disgusting image of their hasty flight from Kalbajar. We have no doubt that they will eventually be able to mine entire Lachin District in order to slow down the process of relocating Azerbaijanis.

Anyway, the main point is that the native Azerbaijani lands are cleansed as soon as possible of the alien and uninvited elements. Only eight days are left to wait. So, Azerbaijan will not only mine the territories, but also rehabilitate them, and I hope that soon a quiet and measured life will return to Lachin, Zabukh, Sus, and other settlements of Lachin District, and ringing children's voices will fill the courtyards. After all, their true owners will return to their original locations.

Caliber.Az