The historic village of Arakiul is located in the south-east of the southern Hadrout Region of the Mountainous Karabagh Republic.
In 1991 Arakiul was occupied by the attacking Azeri army which imprisoned and expelled all of its native Armenian residents. After two years of occupation and complete distruction of the village and thanks to the heroic counterattack of the MKR Army, Arakiul was liberated in 1993.
Today, Arakiul is already repatriated and it has 139 residents. Since its liberation 27 homes were rebuilt by the member of Yerkir UNGO, France Karabagh organization, 7 homes by the MKR government and 2 homes with the financial assistance of diaspora Armenian individuals. Parallel to the homes, France Karabagh also rebuilt the community ' s elementary school and cooperative storage building. In 2003, Yerkir UNGO rebuilt the community kindergarten as well. In 2004, Yerkir plans on building a clinic and a farming cooperative center in the village.
The residents of Arakiul are principally farmers.
Arakiul ' s elementary school is home to the children of Arakiul, as well as children from the nearby villages of Tzoragiugh and Saralanj.
Since 1995, Arakiul has had 16 newborns.
Located on the south-eastern natural mountainous passageway into the MKR, Arakiul has a strategically unique location, as it guards the entryway to the Republic. With its neighbouring villages, Arakiul also overlooks the fertile Araks valley, protecting the eastern front of Armenia ' s Zankezour Region. Recognizing its strategic location, during its two years of occupation between 1991-1993, the Azery Army systematically and completely destroyed the village, leveling all the buildings in the village in hopes of elliminating all trace of Armenian heritage in the area. The Azeri Army had bombed all the homes and community building, including the historic church and had even taken the stones away to Azerbeijan, thinking that their action would prevent the native Armenians from ever returning and resettling in the village. THEY WERE MISTAKEN. By 1995, only two years after its liberation, Arakiul was already repopulated.
