In late February, Vestnik Kavkaza visited liberated territories of Azerbaijan where the work on recovery of the devastated region is going on. Our reporters visited Aghdam, Fizuli, Jabrayil, Zangilan, and the Iranian and Armenian border and recorded scales of destruction committed by the occupation forces of the Armenian army in Azerbaijani cities.
The fourth and fifth stops of the photo return to liberated lands were Khodaafarin Bridge and the city of Zangilan, Azerbaijan’s borders. Ancient Khodaafarin Bridge has a symbolic importance. It connects two sides of the boundary river of Aras and Azerbaijanis living on both of its sides – in Azerbaijan and Iran. After its liberation on October 18th, 2020, deoccupation of the Azerbaijani-Iranian border was predetermined. Today it’s one of key memorial places of the second Karabakh war.
The city of Zangilan is situated in 10 km from the Azerbaijani-Armenian border. It was liberated two days after the Azerbaijani army came to Khodaafarin Bridge, on October 20th. It set off deoccupation of the border with Armenia and opened the road to Lachin, the last artery road connecting the occupation forces and Yerevan. Today the city and nearby villages are ruined. However, Azerbaijan’s authorities are working hard on its recovery and implementing projects of “Smart Village” and “Smart City” in Zangilan District.
