Tartar, May 6, AZERTAC

Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has organized a visit of representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in the country to the frontline zone in order to familiarize them with the consequences of damage caused to the civilian population in the wake of the Armenian armed forces' shelling the residential areas.

The diplomats first visited Gapanly village in Tartar district. Head of Tartar District Executive Authority Mustagim Mammadov informed the delegation about the difficulties the peaceful population faced during the recent skirmishes on the frontline and problems caused as a result of Armenia's shelling the residential areas.

The diplomats then reviewed villager Ilgar Mammadov's house which was destroyed by an Armenian shell.

The diplomats were informed that as a result of ceasefire violation by the Armenian armed forces during the month of April the residential areas near the line of contact, as well as 15-20 kilometers from the line of contact were subjected to heavy artillery fire. As a result, 256 houses, 4 schools, 2 medical points and a kindergarten were damaged, 32 houses were completely destroyed, seven civilians were wounded, two internally displaced persons were killed. Ceasefire violation resulted in destruction of 52 houses inhabited by IDPs, some 198 people were again left homeless. Electricity supply, communication lines and farms in Shikharkh, Chayli and Hasangaya villages were seriously damaged.

The diplomats then viewed the houses which were destroyed as a result of Armenian shelling. The diplomats were also shown Shahbaz Guliyev's mother`s house. They were informed that Shahbaz Guliyev and Dilgam Asgarov were illegally taken hostages by Armenia in July 2014, when visiting their native land.

"The visit of the heads of diplomatic missions and about 80 delegates, including military attaches to the frontline aims to ensure objective coverage of the current situation along the line of contact," the spokesman of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hikmat Hajiyev said.

The representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Azerbaijan then visited Sarijali village of Aghdam region which is located on the troops' line of contact. Head of Aghdam District Executive Authority Ragub Mammadov said that the school was seriously damaged as a result of the Armenian armed force's heavy artillery fire on April 2. He said that on the night of April 27 to 28 hundreds of shells fell in the region. “Some 194 houses were damaged, while 50 were destroyed.”

The foreign diplomats then visited Mahrizli village, and viewed villager Bakir Huseynov's destroyed house and met with residents.

In Afatli village, the diplomats were informed that around 60 shells fell in the village, a civilian was wounded, three houses were destroyed, while 20 of them were damaged. Pedigree cows were annihilated and wounded after a number of shells fell on a farm. The milking equipment and facilities were also seriously damaged in the farm.