Agdam city is the Hiroshima of the Caucasus

 

'Hiroshima of Caucasus' - 'France 24' gives reportage about liberated Aghdam - VIDEO

“This city was so devastated that it is sometimes called "Hiroshima of the Caucasus." Aghdam, with a population of 40,000 in the late 1980s, is ‘a ghost town’ today,” ‘France 24’ TV channel reported.

‘France 24’ has prepared a special reportage on Azerbaijan’s liberated Aghdam. 

It was reported that Aghdam, located half an hour from Khankendi, was Azerbaijan’s fortress. Today, the only building left in Agdam is a mosque. This city was of great strategic importance during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War 30 years ago. The loss of the city in 1993 was a turning point in the war. The defeat forced residents to flee. Today IDPs return and see destroyed buildings in Aghdam. 

Before restoration, security must be ensured. Like other liberated regions of Azerbaijan, Aghdam is full of mines. Authorities have already launched a remote-controlled demining machine.

The head of ANAMA's operational headquarters, Idris Ismayilov stated that about 4,500 anti-personnel mines, about 2,000 anti-tank mines and nearly 750 different types of bombs were found and neutralized.

It is also noted that Azerbaijan has estimated the damage in the liberated territories at more than $ 100 billion and will apply to the courts for compensation from Armenia. 

Taghlar cave

                                                                       Taghlar cave

Taghlar cave is an archaeological site that was inhabited by prehistoric humans of the Mousterian culture during the Paleolithic. The cave is located in Azerbaijan, in the southern part of Böyük Tağlar village, on the left banks of the Guruchay River.Ancient people lived here 64-24 thousand years ago.

The cave was discovered during the Paleolithic archaeological expedition of Academy of Science of Azerbaijan under the leadership of M.Huseynov in 1960. Excavations in the Taghlar cave can be divided into two stages:

Cleansing of the existing sections was carried out to study stratigraphy and lithology of sediments and the occurrence of cultural residues in 1976-1982.Vahid Hajiyev and Mammadali Huseynov gave the first information about the stratigraphy of the cave as a result of 1963-1964 excavations. R. Sultanova published an article on the geological features of the cave in 1973. 

Bone remains of animals found starting from the first year of excavations in the cave, and they were carefully classified in 1977-78.

Within the framework of the International INTAS-2000 program, European scholars including Professor Henri de Lumley conducted scientific research of archaeological, paleontological and paleoanthropological findings of multilayer Taglar and other Paleolithic caves in Azerbaijan in September-October 2002.

Material and cultural artefacts found at the Taglar cave were exhibited in 1981 in Musée de l'Homme in Paris.

Beginning in 1963, archaeological excavations were carried out in the cave and more than 7,000 stone tools and over 2,000 faunal fossilized bones were discovered and six cultural sediment layers were identified at the site. Pottery shards of the Middle Ages, the Bronze Age and Copper Age were found right underneath the top layer. Indices of the Mousterian culture were found in between the 2nd and 6th layer. Numerous work-pieces of tool making, red, black, brown, grey, white and other colors have also been discovered in the inventory of the cave.

The remains of large mammals such as horse, noble deer, bull were found in the 5th layer. From the 5th layer, remains of bones of small mammals were also released in 1977 by M.B.Suleymanov. This collection was investigated by A.K.Markova in the 1980s and in 2009. The collection includes fragments of the lower and upper jaws of rodents with molars and incisors, as well as individual samples of incisors and molars. Those bone residues belong to six species: Microtus obscurus, Ellobius lutescens, Cricetulus migratorius 

Allactaga williamsi. Based on the ecological features of fauna relics of the cave, it is assumed that arid-steppe and semi-desert landscapes dominated around Taghlar cave during the period of ancient people lived here. There were also detected pieces of some species of rodents which are not believed that they have inhabited in this cave. 

Now this beautiful place is ours.This is a part of our history.We should always save our history,culture,territory and dignity.

 

                                                                                                                   Shahbeddinova Laman

Agdam is our! Karabagh is Azerbaijan!

Aghdam is our! Karabagh is Azerbaijan!

Aghdam – Ghost Town

Aghdam was founded in the 18th century and granted city status in 1828. Before the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, butter, wine and brandy, machine, and silk factories, an airport and two railway stations functioned there.

The district was occupied in 1993. Some 70,000 people were since displaced and settled in the nearby Azerbaijani provinces of Tartar and Barda. The Armenians managed to occupy  8467 sq.km of the territory of Aghdam region, i.e 77.4 percent of the total area.The occupied Aghdam city and 89 villages were destroyed on unprecedented brutality and razed to the ground. For the defence  of Aghdam 5897 people were killed, 3531 became invalids, 1871 children were orphaned. Thousands of people have become physically disabled, more than 126 thousand citizens of Aghdam have been displaced from their native land. The people of Aghdam have longed for their homeland for 27 years.

Aghdam national heroes:

Allahverdi Bagirov

Hidayet Rustamov

Canpolad Rzayev

Rovshen Huseynov

Fazil Mehdiyev

Muxtar Qasimov

Yelmar Edilov

Nadir Aliyev

Faiq Aghayev

Natiq Ahmadov

Shirin Mirzeyev

Asif Maharramov

Alabbas Iskandarov

Bakhskeyis Pashayev and hundreds of more immortal heroes…

However, as a result of the Second Karabakh War, which began on September 27, 2020, and the agreement signed, Aghdam came under the rule of Azerbaijan as a whole. Azerbaijani citizens visited Martyrs’ Alley to celebrate liberation of Aghdam region after 27 years.

Pearl of Aghdam

Tea House

The tea house was based on the idea of the academician Khudu Mammadov during Sadig Murtuzayev’s post as first Secretary of the Agdam District Party Committee of the Central Committee of the Azerbaijan SSR. Naik Samadov was chief architect of the Tea House project. In the project, masonry was only used on the first floor. The remainder consisted of metal construction. It was decided to place the tea house near the mosque after discussion with Khudu Mammadov. The tea house was inaugurated on 26 July 1986. In addition to the regional officials, Vafa Guluzade, the head of the Culture Department of the CP CC of Azerbaijan SSR, also participated in the opening ceremony. In 1993, the Tea House was burned down by the Armenian Armed Forces.

Bread Museum

Aghdam Bread Museum was the second in the world, and the first and only bread museum in the USSR.

Among the exhibits collected in this museum are petrified ancient grain samples, rare grain species, numerous valuable books, manuscripts and other materials related to the development of grain growing, ancient agricultural tools: bricks, ordinary and toothed sickles, grain threshers, hand mills and other tools existed.

The museum itself has a very interesting history. So, in the very center of the city there was an old mill that was in ruins. During the difficult years of the war, this mill became the only breadbasket in Aghdam, so it was considered a sacred place and it was considered inadmissible to touch it. The idea that this mill would later function as a bakery is welcomed by all.

Well-known grain academician Imam Mustafayev brought these grains from his rich grain collection along with other samples, which significantly increased the value of the museum. Hundreds of people's bread samples were obtained.

When a Russian woman, a participant in the siege of Leningrad, heard the museum's question, she brought a hundred and fifty grams of charred bread, which she had not eaten to the point of death, and gave it to the museum. Samples of bread were sent from the cosmonaut campus. About two thousand samples of grain were collected in the museum in a short time.

But, unfortunately, this wealth was destroyed during the invasion by Armenian Armed Forces.

 

Aghdam Mosque

The mosque was built by the architect Karbalayi Safikhan Karabakhi from 1868 to 1870. The mosque was built in the typical style for mosques in Karabakh region, which included the division of stone columns on the two-story gallery and the use of domed ceilings. Mosque was one of the few buildings of the town that was not destroyed during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War. The Agdam Mosque was the only structurally whole building in the city, which Armenians vandalized it with graffiti, and used it as a stable for cattle and swine for years. After the ceding of Agdam back to Azerbaijan The first Friday prayer after 27 years was held in the mosque by the last imam of the mosque and Azerbaijani soldiers.

On November 23, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Victorious Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva visited the city of Aghdam, liberated from occupation. The head of state raised Azerbaijan's tricolor flag in Aghdam. The national flag of Azerbaijan is now flying proudly in Aghdam, liberated from occupation after 27 years. President Ilham Aliyev presented the Holy Quran he brought from Mecca to the Aghdam mosque.

Prepared by Nasibli Gunay and Anvarli Saltanat.

#aghdamisour

#karabaghisazerbaijan

#azerbaijaniarmy

Karabakh,Penakhali khan

After the overthrow of the Afshar Empire led by Nadir Shah the prominent state official Panahali bey Djavanshir founded one of independent states of Azerbaijan - Karabakh. He was born in the Saridjaly village of Karabakh. Mirza Djamal, the vizier of Karabakh khanate wrote: "Late Nadir shah after occupying Karabakh, Ganja, Tiflis and Shirvan provinces, invited all the working people of cities and villages in his place and gave them job among his servants and paid them salary, they gained respect and ranks.

Panakhali's brother Farzali khan, who protested against these measures was put to death. In period of the Shakh staying in Khorasan, Panakhali bey took the occasion and run away to Karabakh province together with his relatives and closes in 1737-1738. Shah informed about his escape sent couriers after him to prevent him from running away. Nadir shah instructed the leaders of Azerbaijan, Ganja, Tiflis and Shirvan to catch Panah khan wherever they see him and send to the shah's residence. Though by the order of the shah Panah ali and his family were tormented and set a penalty, that did not work.

Thus, Panah ali khan dodged the responsibility to subdue to Nadir shah and bid to rule his native Karabakh in the most democratic way. As a result, an independent Azeri state-Karabakh khanate established following the death of Nadir shah.

After the declaration of the establishment of independent Karabakh khanate the main goal was to strengthen it. The first measure taken by Panakhali was to return those Muslims driven by Nadir shah to their native land. The return of displaced families and their resettlement of their native land strengthened Karabakh khanate. The future khan of Karabakh 15 year-old Ibragimkhalil was among those who had been first to return.

 In period of Karabakh khanate establishment it did not comprise cities as Tebriz, Ardebil, Ganja, Shamakhy, Baky, Nakhichevan, Sheki, Derbend. However, the existence of such politico-economic centers would play a great role in the further development of the khanate. Beside military-political works Panah Ali also made a great progress in the military installations and establishment of towns.

One of the first steps taken in this sphere was the construction of the Bayaty tower named after the ancient Azeri-Turkish tribes bayats in 1748. "The khan assembled his family, relatives and aged men there. The people surrounding him and those who heard about his progress and kind treatment moved to the Bayaty tower from Tebriz and Ardebil.

Panakh khan's activity in the sphere of creation of an independent state promoted his official recognition. "Mirza Djamal wrote: "Adyl shah's order on the attachment of the title of "khan" to Panakh Ali and on his appointment the ruler of Karabakh khanate along with valuable dressing-gowns, golden saddled horses and a sword designed with precious stones were brought to the tower Bayaty by the close man of Serdar Amir Aslan in 1161 by the Muslim calendar, in 1745 by Christian calendar (1748 is correct).

In fact Adil shah's order was a behindhand document. The real title had been deserved much earlier than the order and regardless of it.

An unsuccessful raid of Sheki khanate to Karabakh played a great role in the recognition of Panah Alia as a leader of Karabakh khanate. Sheki khan Hadjy Chelebi, following his unsuccessful Bayaty battle announced: "Panah Ali has previously been a silver without coin. But we came and attached him this coin and went away" (or "Pahah Ali declared him khan while I confirmed it by my defeat").

These words of Hadji Cheleby turning to a popular saying had even much power than Adil shah's order. Ahmed bey Djavanshir wrote:"…After the victory (The Bayaty battle-Y.M, K.S) the legend about Panah Ali's courage subdued all Muslim tribes, residing in Karabakh, to Panah Ali with no resistance".

At the same time the Bayaty battle proved the vulnerability of the tower to further historical events. Therefore, it was necessary to construct a new one. Mirza Adygozel bey wrote: "Panah Ali khan built a tower in Ternekut best known as Shahbulaghy. He also constructed Mosques, houses and bazaars and public baths from stones and limestone. After the works were completed he settled there in 1165 (1751)".

The Kurekchay agreement

With the strengthening of Panah khan the feudal lords-monarchs, supporting scarcity, increased their subversive activity. It was necessary to prevent that by some military methods. Otherwise, the khanate would lose its territorial integrity. The original sources also confirm that.

Mir Mehdi Khazani wrote impartially: "The five of Karabakh districts have been separated and each acquired its own name…". Mirza Adygozel bey wrote about the Karabakh feuds-meliks: "Dizag is one of these feuds. Its ruler is Melik Yegan. He escaped from Lori and in period of Nadir's ruling he was appointed the melik and gained respect by an order of the shah.

The second is in Varan. Melik Shahnezer was its ruler. He is of a more ancient family and has bigger inheritance. His ancestors were the aristocrats of Goycha. Then they escaped and came to Varan province and lost their heads from the wealth they had in their lands.

The third is Khachyn. Its is ruled by the son of Hasan Djalalyan. Their majesty designed the power in a proper way and became a ruler. This family which died of this ruling career was not the independent ruler of the region. At last the state flag of the late Panah khan Djavanshir and the sun lightened every corner of Karabakh province. At that time the Khyndyrystan Melik Mirza khan by the order of these immortal state officials minted coins in the name of… After that his son Allahverdi and grandson Melik Gehreman also glorified their country.

The fourth is Chilebord district. Its ruler was Allahqulu. His ancestors were from Maghaviz. They came and became the rulers of Chilabord and settled at vaster areas in the middle stream of the Terter river. They turned the Cheymukh tower, which had a very hard destiny, into there shelter, home and land ( Cheymukh is a brief name of Chilebord" They ruled Chilabord in the most democratic way and thus became famous. .. Nadir shah gave him a title of sultan and a gown…

The fifth is the Tbilisi district. The ruler is Malik Usub. His ancestors came from Shirvan and stayed in Talysh village for some time. Some of them have been the rulers more than once. Later Melik Usub occupied the Gulistan tower and settled there."

Karabakh feud lands

Name of a land	Arrival in Karabakh
	Period	From
Varanda	1603	Goycha region
Chilebord	1637	From Zangezur (Sunik)
Khazyn	Established in the 18th century	Local
Dizag	Established in the 18th century	From Lori province
Gulistan (Talysh)	Early 18th century	From Shirvan (Nidj village of Gabala sultanate

Thus, except for Khachyn other rulers of Karabakh and their ancestors were not the native Karabakh residents and they had moved to the region from other places. They were not Armenians, they represented former Albanian generations. Therefore, it's incorrect to justify the territorial claims of Armenian nationalists and to regard the said rulers as the followers of Armenian state structure. On the other hand, alien rulers after the capture of power in Karabakh did not manage to unite the country.

They lived isolated and could not overcome the limits of leaders feuding with each other. Moreover, as mentioned above, none of them, except for Khachyn were original Karabakhians in period before 17th century. "The rulers represented those standing for the feudal division". The separatist centrifugal activity of the rulers hammered the process of centralization current in the khanate and in the whole country.

Their participation in the raid on Karabakh stroke a hard blow to the independence of Karabakh khanate. Therefore, the steps taken by meliks for prevention of the separatist movements were rather a struggle with plots against the independence of Karabakh khanate.

Melik Shahnazar was the first among the five feudal lands to recognize Panah Ali's power. That was due to the marriage of Ibragimkhalil to Melik Shahnazar's daughter Hurzat.

After the defeat of Khachyn melik at Ulubab Ballygaya he recognized the power of Panah khan, while the hostile policy of Dizag, Chilebord and Talish lands lasted for several years. Ahmed bey Djavanshir wrote:" The Dizag ruler Yegan who collected and saved all money of neighbor provinces after a sharp resistance was killed together with some of his relatives and sons while others were turned into Islam…

The ruler of Chilabord Allahgulu Sultan first subordinated to his power then was accused of betrayal and killed by the order of Panah Ali khan. His brother Melik Hatem Talish united with the Melik Usub and within a long period of time resisted the attacks of Panakha Ali's troops to their lands, however, after the defeat at Mardakerd village they fell back to the impregnable Chermukh tower, locating in the upper stream of the Terter river.

After a year of staying in the tower, he had to seek refuge in foreign countries together with his family. However, he did not give up his political activity. Thus, he and his antecedents (his son Melik Medjnun) constantly attacked Karabakh…". The path of Panakh Ali's progress in overriding the feudal lands was followed by his son Ibragim khan.

Among the Karabakh feudal lands, Melik Yesay of Dizaq, Medjnun of Chilebord and Beyleryan of Gulistan refused to subdue to Ibragim, while Melik Shahnazar of Varanda and Mirza khan of Khachyn recognized his power and joined the patriotic troops created by Ibragim.

The allies encircled the Tug tower in 1781. Melik Yesay surrendered and the power transferred to Melik Bahtam. Soon he turned out to be a betrayer as well.

Beginning from 1783 Russia also started to interfere with Ibragim khan's struggle against separatist feudal lords. By the help of local meliks Russia, willing to occupy South Caucasus attempted to establish a Christian state or the support for itself in Azerbaijan. At that time owing to his high diplomatic capacities Panah ali managed to assemble all hostile feudal lords in Shusha. Proving their betrayal by some documents he imprisoned them.

Melik Medjnun was imprisoned while Melik Bahtan due to his misdemeanors was delivered to the khan of Ardebil. The ally of the feudal lords, the Catholicos of Ganjasar monastery Yohannes was caught together with his brother and punished.

However, the prisoners of Shusha managed to escape. They ran away to Tbilisi and initiated a plot against Karabakh khanate under the support of Georgian tsar Irakli the Second (1744-1798) and Russian colonel Burnashov. The enemies, launching crusades to Karabakh khanate, neared Ganja. However, these crusades were unsuccessful due to the beginning of the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791. Ibragim khan managed to defend and preserve the integrity of independent Karabakh khanate.

                      

Agha Mohamed Gadjar (1742-1797), who seized power in Iran in the summer of 1795, attacked Karabakh khanate. The 33 day war of Shusha was an unfortunate one. After Shusha he moved on Tbilisi. Due to the raid of the Russian troops led by V.Zubov, Agha Mohamed Gadjar fell back. With the death of the Russian tsarina Elizabeth the Second (1764-1796) Zubov was recalled to Russia. Agha Mohamed Qadjar again attacked Karabakh, occupied Shusha yet was killed there in 1797.

The invasive activity of Russia strengthened in the South Caucasus, including Azerbaijan in late 18th-early 19th century. In 1801 Georgia was annexed to the empire, Azerbaijan's Djar-Belokan (1803) community and Ganja khanate (1804) were occupied.

Under such conditions Ibragim khan struck an agreement with the commander of Russian troops P.D.Sisianov (1802-1806) in Kurekchay. The agreement stipulated for Karabakh khanate to be annexed to Russia as a Muslim country-the Azerbaijani land. The Kurekchay agreement, that reflected the reality, is the most reliable document which proved that Karabakh, including its mountainous part belongs to Azerbaijan.

Releasing from the thraldom of the Russian Empire, which lasted for approximately 120 years, the Azerbaijani people established a new independent state in the Northern Azerbaijan. The Declaration of Independence of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic stated that the lands of Northern Azerbaijan, once occupied by Russia in accordance with the Gulistan (1813) and Turkmenchay (1828) agreements are the legal heritage of Azerbaijani people. The first article of the declaration read: "Beginning from this day the people of Azerbaijan will have their sovereign rights. Azerbaijan, that consists of Eastern and Southern Transcaucasia, is a legal independent state". The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic issued its politically and legally substantiated map. It tried to spread its power on the entire historical area of Karabakh. At that time the newly established Republic of Armenia laid its groundless claims to Karabakh, but the government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic opposed these claims. During the talks with the Foreign Minister of the Ottoman state in Istanbul, November 18^th 1918, A.M.Topchubashov (1862-1934), the chair of the Parliament of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic said: "The Karabakh issue raised by Armenians does not concern only 5 or 10 villages, it covers all four districts: Shusha, Djavanshir, Djebrail and Zangezur. This territory belongs to only one nation and even though the number of Moslems and Armenians is not equal, there is no reason to talk in terms of domination of Armenians, because they are not native residents of these areas. These are those moving to the region from Turkey after the war with Russia…Finally, Armenians do not live separately in Karabakh itself, they form mixed settlements with Azerbaijanis. Nevertheless, we stand for the peaceful settlement of the problem".

 

 

ARMENIAN’S ATTACKS ON AZERBAIJANI SETTLEMENTS

GANJA MİSSİLE ATTACKS

The Ganja missile attacks comprise four separate missile attacks on the city of Ganja, Azerbaijan in October 2020, during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.

The first attack took place on 4 October, killing one civilian and wounding over 30; it was one of the first serious attacks on civilians in the conflict outside the Nagorno-Karabakh region. The second attack occurred on 8 October; no casualties were reported. The third attack happened on 11 October.

According to Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry, at least seven people died and 33 were injured, including children. A mother and her 16-month-old daughter have been buried in the same grave after a missile attack on the Azerbaijani city of Ganja that killed at least 13 civilians, as fighting intensifies over the disputed of Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Zuleykha Shahnazarova and her daughter Madina Shahnazarli were killed overnight on Saturday, along with the father of the family, Royal Shahnazarov.

The couple’s other daughter, three-year-old Khadija Shahnazarli, survived the attack and was being treated in a hospital in the nearby city of Barda.

Azerbaijan accused Armenia of being behind the missile attack on its second-largest city, which also wounded dozens of sleeping people and destroyed a row of homes.

Armenia denied the allegation and in turn accused Azerbaijan of continued shelling on Stepanakert, the main city of Nagorno-Karabakh. It said the type of missile it was accused of firing does not have the range to reach Ganja.

The attack was one of the first major violations of the humanitarian ceasefire, signed a day earlier, to attempt to halt the conflict. The fourth attack occurred on 17 October. According to initial reports, fifteen civilians were killed and fifty-five injured in the attack. In addition to the loss of human life, infrastructure was also destroyed, including apartment blocks and other buildings, and vehicles.

 

Azerbaijan accused Armenia of the attacks, but Armenia denied any responsibility; the Artsakh Defence Army admitted responsibility for the first attack. The Azerbaijani government described the third attack "an act of genocide" and retaliated with a surgical strike on operational-tactical missile systems in the Artsakh-controlled Kalbajar District.

 

BARDA MISSILE ATTACKS

The 2020 Barda missile attacks was a series of two air attacks on the city of Barda in Azerbaijan during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. Both attacks involved BM-30 Smerch missiles and resulted in 26 civilian deaths, making it the deadliest attack throughout the 2020 war.

The first attack took place on 27 October, killing 5 civilians and wounding 13 more. The next day, on 28 October, several missiles struck Barda, killing 21 civilians, including a Red Crescent volunteer, and wounding 60 more. It was the deadliest attack on civilians and the worst civilian death toll during the conflict.

Azerbaijan accused Armenia of the attacks and stated that cluster munitions had been used against civilians. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International verified the use of cluster munition by Armenia, adding that the "firing of cluster munitions into civilian areas is cruel and reckless, and causes untold death, injury and misery." Armenia denied any responsibility, while the unrecognized Republic of Artsakh admitted responsibility for the attacks but stated that it had targeted military facilities.

 

Baby killed

On Tuesday, four civilians including a toddler were reported dead in an Armenian missile strike on a village in Barda, but Yerevan denied carrying out that attack as well.

"In violation of humanitarian ceasefire and in order to compensate their sustained military losses, Armenia resorts to war crimes of killing civilians," Hajiyev said in English on Twitter.

MINGACHEVIR ATTACKS

Mingechevir is home to a reservoir and the main power plant. Armenian officials have identified the water reservoir in Mingachevir as a military target that may be hit. Over the last 30 years, military officials in Armenia and a self-proclaimed separatist regime established illegally in Azerbaijan's occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region have repeatedly threatened to blow up the Mingachevir dam as part of attacks on civilian infrastructure in Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani Prosecutor General’s Office said 11 October that Armenian armed forces had carried out a missile attack on the Mingachevir Hydroelectric Power Plant in Azerbaijan. "At about 04:00 local time (3:00 Moscow time), the Armenian armed forces carried out a missile attack on a major Azerbaijani industrial city of Mingechevir, which is 100 km away from the zone of the hostilities, and the Mingachevir Hydroelectric Power Plant located there," the prosecutors said. According to the statement, all missiles were intercepted by Azerbaijan’s air defense forces.

Azerbaijan’s Mingachevir Hydroelectric Power Plant and the Mingachevir water reservoir on the Kura River are critical for the country’s power generation sector and agriculture. The security of the Mingachevir dam is among Azerbaijan’s most important national security issues. According to experts, a vast section of the country’s territory will be flooded if the dam breaks.

An estimated 1.3 million people in Azerbaijan have been affected by shelling in a number of locations. Missiles fired toward the city of Mingecevir have landed close to the city’s hospital, town centre, and strategically important hydroelectric plant, which supplies electricity to the whole country. Damage to the dam could cause extensive flooding across 14 Azeri cities.