Lachin region returns to Azerbaijan (VIDEO)

Today, the Lachin region and the city of Lachin return to Azerbaijan in accordance with the trilateral Statement signed on November 9, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said.

"According to the trilateral statement signed by the Presidents of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Russian Federation, and the prime minister of the Republic of Armenia, units of the Azerbaijan Army entered the Lachin region on December 1st," the statement reads.

The video has been uploaded to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry's official YouTube page.

The Lachin region was occupied by the Armenian armed forces on May 18, 1992. During the defense of the region, 264 people were killed, 65 were taken hostage, 103 became disabled. Six people from the region were awarded the title of National Hero of Azerbaijan. Of the 24,374 children in the region aged from one to 16 years old, 18 became martyrs, 225 became disabled, 1,071 children lost one, and 31 children lost both parents. 65,507 IDPs from Lachin region were accommodated in 59 cities and regions of Azerbaijan

During the occupation, the area suffered $ 7.1 billion in damage.

217 cultural institutions, 101 educational institutions, 142 health care institutions, 462 trade facilities, 30 communication facilities, two motor transport and other production facilities were looted and destroyed. More than 200 historical monuments of local and 54 monuments of world importance were destroyed. These include the Albanian Agoglan monastery (6th century), the tomb of Malik Azhdar (14th century), a mosque in the village of Garagishlag, and an ancient cemetery in the village of Zabukh. Lachin History Museum and an old collection of gold, silver and bronze coins were plundered. An exhibit from the Lachin History Museum - a bag made of silver - was sold for $80,000 at Sotheby's in London.

Thus, Baku regained control over all seven previously occupied Azerbaijani regions and the city of Shusha. During the Second Karabakh War, within the framework of the counter-offensive operation, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces liberated Jebrail (October 4), Fizuli (October 17), Zangilan (October 20), Gubadli (October 25) and Shusha (November 8). On November 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint statement on the complete cessation of hostilities in Karabakh. According to the document, the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides keep control of their currently held areas, and Russian peacekeepers were stationed in the region. Aghdam (November 20), Kelbajar (November 25) and Lachin regions were also returned under the control of Azerbaijan.