Le Figaro: Forests are being destroyed, rare species are in danger: Armenia accuses Azerbaijan of "large-scale suicide" on the border of the two countries.
One of the most famous and influential French publications, Le Figaro, published material on the large-scale environmental damage caused by the Azerbaijani army in the area of the Shikauch reserve in southern Armenia.
According to data provided in the article citing local officials and experts, the Azerbaijani army is illegally occupying more than 2,700 dunams of the reserve, as well as several hundred dunams of agricultural land. In these areas, forests are cut down, military roads and mines are laid.
Analysis of satellite images revealed excavation works in about 90 dunams of territory, including about 60 dunams of forest. According to experts, the volume of trees that were cut ranges from 14,000 to 16,000 cubic meters. At the same time, mines threaten rare animals, including bears, tigers and bezoar goats.
Experts call what is happening "ecological suicide on a large scale" and do not rule out that full restoration of the area is no longer possible.
Local residents are also feeling the effects. Loss of agricultural lands and pastures, constant security threats and military presence call into question the very future of the border settlements. Today only one school student remains in the village of Shikuch.
It is especially important that not only the Armenian press or representatives of local authorities write about it, but one of the leading French publications in reference to AFP.
While Azerbaijan tells stories of peace and good neighborliness, the consequences of the presence of its armed forces on Armenian territory become the subject of publications by leading international media.