DM Monitoring
BAKU: Azerbaijan’s leader criticized the leaders of some Western countries who “remained silent” after Armenian forces destroyed Azerbaijani cultural and religious monuments in the occupied territories.
President Ilham Aliyev visited territories recently liberated from Armenian occupation and addressed the nation in front of Aghdam Mosque in Nagorno-Karabakh. He said after the end of the war with Armenia, some “leaders from Western circles” have been raising the question of what will happen to Christian temples in the liberated lands under the control of Azerbaijan. “They express these concerns both during conversations with me and in their official statements. No one should worry, especially the leaders of Western countries that ignite Islamophobic sentiments, those who have turned a blind eye to the insults on Islam and even justified those who are insulting it. They have no right to talk about it,” Aliyev said.
He stressed that all the temples in the territory of Azerbaijan are “historical assets” of the country.
“Who can criticize us? Those who shut down mosques? Can those throwing the heads of killed pigs into Muslim mosques teach us a lesson and express concern? They do not need to express any concerns. All our historical sites are protected by the state.”
Islamophobic cases of insulting Muslim foundations, mosques and places of worship have repeatedly taken place in certain European countries over the years. “The savage enemy kept cows and pigs in this mosque. These pictures are available on the internet. They kept pigs in the liberated Zangilan mosque, in the Jabrayil mosque,” Aliyev said. He reiterated his country’s close partnership with UNESCO but stressed that those willing to come and visit the Christian temples should come to Azerbaijani liberated territories and see what “the wild Armenians” have done there.
Aliyev highlighted that a few years ago, the ambassadors of Minsk Group co-chair countries visited Aghdam Mosque and conducted fact-finding missions twice, adding they informed him about their visit.
