Aghdam: A 30-member delegation from the world-renowned Most Traveled People (MTP) travel club arrived in Aghdam on July 10 as part of their tour of Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur. The group, led by MTP founder Charles Veley, includes travelers from 15 countries.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the travelers first visited the Martyrs’ Alley in Aghdam. Here, they were informed about the heroic defenders who lost their lives in the First Karabakh War and the peaceful civilians who were victims of the Khojaly genocide. The visitors learned about the vandalism inflicted on the graves at Martyrs’ Alley by Armenian forces during the occupation.

The delegation also viewed the ruins of Aghdam city and the newly constructed residential buildings. An official from the Presidential Special Representation detailed the destruction caused by Armenians and highlighted the reconstruction and construction efforts undertaken by the Azerbaijani government since the city’s liberation.

The travelers visited the Aghdam Juma Mosque, built between 1868 and 1870, which had suffered damage during the occupation. The mosque’s minarets were dismantled from the inside, sections of the ceiling had collapsed, and the designs and inscriptions were deliberately damaged. The mosque was used to shelter livestock by Armenians. Following liberation, the Azerbaijani government restored the mosque.

Over their three-day journey, the travelers will explore the districts of Fuzuli, Khojavend, Shusha, Khankendi, Khojaly, Aghdam, Kalbajar, Lachin, Zangilan, and Jabrayil. This trip is pivotal in promoting Azerbaijan’s liberated territories within the context of dark tourism.

In the past four years, international travel delegations have visited the Karabakh and East Zangezur regions thirteen times.