US researchers arrive in Azerbaijan's liberated lands

US researchers are on a visit to Azerbaijani territories liberated from Armenia's decades-long occupation in 2020.

The US-based Naval Postgraduate School’s Professor Brenda Shaffer and Hudson Institute senior researcher Michael Doran, have visited the village of Aghali with a family of former internally displaced persons (IDPs), who returned to their native Zangilan Region.

The researchers got acquainted with the family’s daily life, Report informs.

During the meeting, Shaffer noted the importance of returning citizens to their homes, which they had to leave as a result of occupation by Armenia.

"We see how the city, liberated from the Armenian occupation, is being restored. Zangilan is of strategic importance", said Shaffer.

She also added that the significance of Zangilan will only increase with the opening of the Zangazur corridor, which will help it become a centre of development and trade.

The American researchers also visited the ancient Khudaferin bridge in the Jabrayil district. 

Professor Shaffer stated, that she had a great desire to visit the ancient bridge and see it with her own eyes.

The Kudaferin bridge is a unique architectural monument stemming from the 11-13th century. Located in the Jabrayil region bordering Iran, a district that was under the illegal Armenian occupation as a result of the first Karabakh war, it was built from stone and covered by large stone plates. The bridge connects the northern and southern shores of the Aras river, which forms a natural border between Azerbaijan and Iran and has played an integral part in the literature of those countries of the time.

In the present time, only three middle vaults have been preserved as the coastal parts of the bridge were destroyed by an order of the Soviet authorities in the 1930s.

After Azerbaijan achieved victory in the 2020 Second Karabakh War, the smart village of Agali became the first settlement in Zangilan its former residents returned to. These citizens are those who until recently were considered IDPs.

Vahid Hajiyev, the special representative of the Azerbaijani president in the Zangilan district, which is part of the East Zangazur economic region including the Aghali village,  has said that a production zone has been created, the majority of able-bodied people have been provided with jobs in the "smart Aghali village" through the Azerbaijani Economy Ministry’s support.

Hajiyev made these remarks at the international conference entitled "Innovative approach to the development of cities and villages: smart cities and villages", Report informs.

He said that 210 houses are planned to be built in "smart village".

"Some 87 houses of those houses have been already built, while 113 houses are being built.

Another group of citizens will be resettled in December 2022", the special representative added.

He noted that the lowest internet speed is 100 Mbps, sometimes the speed reaches 400 Mbps in Aghali now.

"Tree planting campaigns are often held in Aghali, so far 10,000 trees have been planted in the village", Hajiyev added.