Armenians used Azykh Cave as weapons depot during occupation, Azerbaijani official claims

Armenian forces used the ancient Azykh Cave as an arms depot and looted cultural artefacts, including frescoes from the Khudavang Monastery, during the occupation of Azerbaijani territories, a senior Azerbaijani official has alleged.

Armenians removed significant archaeological artefacts and used ancient historical sites for military purposes during their occupation of Azerbaijani territories, according to Sabina Hajiyeva, the head of the State Service for the Protection, Development and Restoration of Cultural Heritage, Caliber.Az reports per local media. 

Speaking at the First Cultural Forum of the Islamic World held in Shusha on April 17, Hajiyeva stated that one of the most notable cases involved the medieval Khudavang Monastery, located in the Kalbajar district.

“Following the liberation of our lands, research was carried out at the monastery site. It was confirmed that the Armenians had stolen and transported valuable artefacts, including frescoes from the monastery walls,” she said.

She further alleged that Azykh Cave — regarded as one of the most ancient human settlements in the region — was repurposed as a weapons warehouse during the occupation. “This site, of immense historical and archaeological value, was used for military storage by Armenian forces,” Gadzhiyeva claimed.

The comments come amid ongoing efforts by Azerbaijan to assess and restore cultural heritage in areas that returned to its control following the 2020 conflict over Karabakh. 

Azerbaijani officials have repeatedly accused Armenia of damaging and altering cultural and historical monuments during nearly three decades of control.

As a reminder, the First Cultural Forum of the Islamic World opened on April 17 in the Azerbaijani city of Shusha, under the theme “Safeguarding and Revitalization of Cultural Heritage in the Post-Conflict Period.”

Attendees included Emin Huseynov and Aydin Karimov, Special Representatives of the Azerbaijani President in various districts, alongside Deputy Ministers of Culture Farid Jafarov and Saadat Yusifova, as well as officials and heritage experts.

The Forum seeks to promote the protection and restoration of cultural heritage sites in post-conflict regions and strengthen collaboration among Islamic World countries.

The programme features two panel discussions: one on international protection mechanisms and successful restoration case studies, and another on technological innovation in heritage preservation, focusing on artificial intelligence and 3D modelling.

By Aghakazim Guliyev