64 Hectares of the 'Forest of Sossy' is in Syunik, 110 Hectares in Kashatagh Handed Over to the Enemy, Says Shikahogh Administrative Leader

The 64-hectare area of the 'Forest of Sossy' is located in the Syunik province of Armenia, near the village of Nerkhin Hand, extending along the Shikahogh and Tsav rivers. The continuation of the forest, which spans an additional 110 hectares, was in the Kashatagh region, where it is highly likely that the Azerbaijani leadership and their family members were photographed. This was stated by Nare Ghazaryan, the administrative head of Shikahogh village, in an interview with Tert.am.

“The ‘Forest of Sossy’ was all part of that entirety. One part was a continuation of the other. Perhaps the Ministry of Environment imagines that only the section located in Syunik province is the 'Forest of Sossy,' while these were not separate parts. Since the Kashatagh region of Artsakh was handed over to the enemy after December 25, that section of the forest has also fallen under their control,” Ghazaryan told the news outlet.

Addressing potential security issues, the administrative leader of Shikahogh said, “The residents are not in panic, they are not afraid, but it is disgusting that the enemy has reached so close to us. The enemy is not new to us; we became accustomed to him after December 25, when he arrived, blocking our roads, armed. However, when the enemy leader appears there, that’s a different matter altogether,” Ghazaryan noted and added that it is essential to clearly delineate borders at this time.

“We need a neutral zone; there must be a separation. There is no clarity, not even a step separates Armenia from Azerbaijan. If a villager accidentally crosses, there could even be an issue of capture. Clear border demarcation and the establishment of a neutral zone are necessary,” Nare Ghazaryan emphasized.

It should be noted that the Ministry of Environment had released a statement claiming that the area depicted in Aliyev's photographs is not part of the 'Sossy Forest' state reserve.