ArmMil

Azerbaijan continues to pursue a policy that erases traces of indigenous Armenian presence in Artsakh, Armenian sources report, with cultural heritage increasingly targeted in territories under Baku’s control. New evidence released by The Geghard Foundation indicates that the St. Mary Mother of God Church (Surb Mariam Astvatsatsin) in the village of Vaghuhas, Martakert region, has been subjected to vandalism. According to the foundation, at least one khachkar (Armenian cross-stone) in the church courtyard has been destroyed, while religious icons and images inside the church have been removed. The foundation characterizes these incidents as part of an ongoing campaign aimed to eliminate Armenian identity in Artsakh and promote cultural destruction. Armenian heritage organizations have repeatedly warned that religious and historical monuments have become systematic targets following the 2023 displacement of the region’s ethnic Armenian population. The St. Mary Mother of God Church in Vaghuhas was consecrated on February 19, 2012, marking the 19th anniversary of the village’s liberation at the time. Armenian watchdog groups note that similar cases of desecration and demolition have been documented across Artsakh in recent years. International monitoring organizations, satellite imagery analyses, and independent reports cite the damage and demolition of dozens of Armenian churches, monasteries, cemeteries, and historical sites.