Azerbaijan is destroying the Armenian cultural heritage of Parukh and Karaglukh and resorting to outright falsifications. This was announced in a statement by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Artsakh.
“As a result of the Azerbaijani attack on 24 March 2022, the surroundings of the village of Parukh in the Askeran district of the Republic of Artsakh, the former settlement of Karaglukh and the heights of the same name came under enemy occupation, and the Azerbaijani armed forces immediately resorted to their well-known practice of destroying Armenian historical and cultural heritage in those occupied territories.
Apart from its strategic significance, the area is also important for its historical, cultural and natural environment. According to the state list of immovable monuments of history and culture, about 20 monuments are officially registered in the aforementioned areas, including 2 churches (including the ‘Holy Mother of God’ church, 13th century, photo attached), the well-known Shikakar-Karaglukh fortress, cultural monuments of archaeological value, cemeteries, khachkars, tombstones. The Shikakar cave is also located here, where the Azokh international archaeological expedition conducted research in 2011.
However, it should be stressed that the area has not been sufficiently studied, as also evidenced by the research conducted in the area in December 2021, as a result of which another three dozen monuments were discovered.
Having the bitter experience of Azerbaijan’s anti-Armenian policy, when that country organises and encourages cultural vandalism at the highest level in the occupied territories of Artsakh, we confidently declare that the historical and cultural heritage of Parukh and Karaglukh is likewise endangered under Azerbaijani occupation:
