According to satellite images captured on October 10, Azerbaijani forces have destroyed the school in the village of Madatashen in Artsakh's Askeran district after its occupation, the Artsakh Monument Watch, an independent academic platform, reported, adding the adjacent church is also in danger.
The school was renamed the Madatashen School SNCO in 2015, which also houses the village municipality and the House of Culture. The Madatashen House of Culture was built in 1969 and renovated in 2012.
A monument to the victims of the Artsakh Liberation War located close to the church was also destroyed by the enemy immediately after the occupation of the village.
“A video circulated by Azerbaijanis clearly shows an armed Azerbaijani soldier breaking up the monument to the Artsakh war heroes, destroying their photos and gleefully taking pictures against the background of the destroyed cultural heritage. Notably, the video captured before the Azerbaijani occupation shows that both the school and the monument were intact,” the Monument Watch said.
The history of Madatashen village dates back to the mid-17th century. The village got its name from Russian army general Valerian Madatov, whose cowsheds were located on this very territory. The community is located in the southern part of the Artsakh Republic, 50 km away from the Askeran regional center and 24 km away from the capital, Stepanakert. St. Astvatsatsin Church of the village was built in 1904. The wall of the church, as well as its roof, were damaged, the academic platform noted.