Blockaded Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) is experiencing hard days. The border villages are trying to grow fruits and vegetables to meet their own needs being targeted by Azerbaijani. However, the lack of food and basic necessities is felt more and more every day. In Chankatagh, people avoid going out into the fields these days, the enemy regularly targets even residential houses.
After the war of 2020, the Chankatagh community of Martakert region became a border village. There are Azerbaijani strongholds in the hill, from where the villagers are waiting for a provocation any minute.
Natalia Shakaryan (Chankatagh resident) - After capturing this height of Chankatagh, they did not occupy a position, but shots are heard from the position every day.
In the conditions of the enemy's targeting and complete blockade, resident of the village try to be self-sufficient in terms of fruits and vegetables, the Davtyans say.
Jamal Davtyan (Chankatagh resident) - Today is this much. Tomorrow there will be much more. In this way, rural economic life will continue to be restored.
Shops are emptying day by day. Mrs. Nurward is not so much sad for her own business as for children's unfulfilled desires.
Nurvard Hakobyan (Chankatagh resident) - They need everything, what is in the store now? The shelves are empty, the refrigerators are empty, that is, we get a dairy product once a week.
The village nurse is also concerned. In the absence of humanitarian supplies, medicine is running out day by day.
Svetlana Ikhtieryan (nurse) - With minimal amount, we receive with limits, we still manage to receive a small amount, but, for example, this last month, some of the medicines for diabetics were available, some were not.
The armed forces of Azerbaijan regularly open fire in the direction of Chankatagh. In recent days, the enemy has targeted residential houses. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
Vladumir Martirosyan (Chankatagh resident) - If they used to shoot from position to position, now they are shooting at the roofs of families and houses. But despite that, we live in our village, in our houses, without fear, without panic.
On June 23, the Arakelyans' house was targeted by the Azerbaijani military position. The bullet damaged the roof.
Zori Avanesyan (Chankatagh resident) - I was not at home at that time. When I came home around 4:30, my neighbor said that it was stuck. I went up and saw that it was damaged.
According to residents, this year the Azerbaijani side is more aggressive, now working in the garden is a matter of risk, the use of agricultural machinery in the field is almost impossible.
Vladumir Martirosyan - In the rural area, the boys want to sow potatoes or corn, they shoot again and disturb. They interfere with all kinds of work: construction, agriculture.
Despite the difficulties, people are optimistic in Chankatagh, they will overcome it, the villagers say and point to the 13th century church of the community.
