AZERBAIJAN BUILDS A GREAT WALL OF KARABAKH
by Giorgi Lomsadze
EurasiaNet.org, NY
Oct 13 2011
The notion of a breakthrough in the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict soon
could have quite a literal meaning. Azerbaijan is now busy walling
itself off from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone.
The three-meter-tall wall will stretch three kilometers across the
conflict line to shield nearby Azerbaijani-controlled villages from
sniper bullets. The wall starts in Ortagervend, a village where an
eight-year-old boy was shot to death six months ago.
The chronic sniper exchange between the Azerbaijani army and separatist
Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenian forces has often turned deadly and
threatened the return of all-out hostilities in the area.
Azerbaijani authorities said that the sniper fire is driving the
civilian population away from the villages.
In a rare sign of approval of an Azerbaijani initiative, separatist
officials welcomed construction of the wall as a way to solidify the
border of the disputed enclave.
Disclaimer: This article was contributed and translated into English by Badalian Vardan. While we strive for quality, the views and accuracy of the content remain the responsibility of the contributor. Please verify all facts independently before reposting or citing.
Direct link to this article: https://www.armenianclub.com/2011/10/14/azerbaijan-builds-a-great-wall-of-karabakh/