The Khojaly Massacre was the killing of hundreds of ethnic Azerbaijani civilians from the town of Khojaly on 25–26 February 1992 by theArmenian and CIS armed forces during the Nagorno-Karabakh War. According to the Azerbaijani side, as well as Memorial Human Rights Center, Human Rights Watch and other international observers, the massacre was committed by the ethnic Armenian armed forces, reportedly with help of the Russian 366th Motor Rifle Regiment, apparently not acting on orders from the command. The death toll provided by Azerbaijani authorities is 613 civilians, including 106 women and 83 children. Western governments and the western media refer to it as the Khojaly Massacre or Khojaly Tragedy. Azerbaijani and Turkish sources occasionally refer to the massacre as Khojaly Genocide (Azerbaijani: Xocalı soyqırımı, Turkish: Hocalı soykırımı) and the Khojaly Tragedy (Azerbaijani: Xocalı faciəsi). Armenian sources usually give an estimate closer to the 161 deaths figure given by Human Rights Watch regarding the events and mostly refer to it as theBattle of Khojaly (Armenian: Խոջալուի պատերազմում-Khojalui Paterazmum), Khojaly event (Armenian: Խոջալուի իրադարձություն-Khojalui Iradardzut’yun) or sometimes Khojaly tragedy (Armenian: Խոջալուի ողբերգության-Khojalui Voghbergut’yan). The event became the largest massacre in the course of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, next to the Kirovabad Pogrom.
On 25-26 of February 1992 Armenian Army captured Azeri town of Khojaly in northern Karabagh. Over 800 civilians were butchered in cold blood. Khojaly is a settlement of Azerbaijan situated in the strategic point on the road Agdam-Shusha, Khankendi(Stepanakert)- Askeran near the only airport in Karabakh. Its population is more then 7 thousand people.
Late on February 25 the city was under the intensive fire from the town Khankendi and Askeran. The airport and neighboring houses was destroyed. More then 150 people defending the airport were killed by sporadic artillery shelling of regiment No 366. The next day, on February 26 the fire shooting grew heavier and more fierce. After powerful artillery shelling Armenian bandits launched a massive attack. Armoured vehicles of Soviet Army regiment No 366 were in the first row of the attackers. They were followed by Armenian armed bandit units. The Armenian armed men backed by armoured vehicles killed the defenders of the districts and houses. The most valuable property and personal possessions were loaded onto the trucks and taken away towards the town of Khankendi.
Occupation of Khojaly was followed with unprecedented brutalities against the civilian population. In a few hours the aggressors killed 613 innocent and unarmed people. Among them were 106 women, 83 children. 56 people were killed with special brutality. 8 families were totally exterminated. 25 children were totally, and 130 children were partly orphaned. 476 people became disabled persons (of them 76 were minors). 1275 people were taken into hostage and even though afterwards most of the hostages were released from captivity, the fates of 150 of them are still unknown. The event had sparked the exodus of Azerbaijanis from their historic lands. Ten years on and the world is still oblivious to the suffering caused by the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan Republic. As the result of ethnic cleansing in Karabagh, and other territories occupied by Armenians, some 1,000,000 people have been expelled from their homes and forced to live in tent-camps and railway carriages… on 25–26 February 1992 by theArmenian and CIS armed forces during the Nagorno-Karabakh War. According to the Azerbaijani side, as well as Memorial Human Rights Center, Human Rights Watch and other international observers, the massacre was committed by the ethnic Armenian armed forces, reportedly with help of the Russian 366th Motor Rifle Regiment, apparently not acting on orders from the command. The death toll provided by Azerbaijani authorities is 613 civilians, including 106 women and 83 children. Western governments and the western media refer to it as the Khojaly Massacre or Khojaly Tragedy. Azerbaijani and Turkish sources occasionally refer to the massacre as Khojaly Genocide (Azerbaijani: Xocalı soyqırımı, Turkish: Hocalı soykırımı) and the Khojaly Tragedy (Azerbaijani: Xocalı faciəsi). Armenian sources usually give an estimate closer to the 161 deaths figure given by Human Rights Watch regarding the events and mostly refer to it as theBattle of Khojaly (Armenian: Խոջալուի պատերազմում-Khojalui Paterazmum), Khojaly event (Armenian: Խոջալուի իրադարձություն-Khojalui Iradardzut’yun) or sometimes Khojaly tragedy (Armenian: Խոջալուի ողբերգության-Khojalui Voghbergut’yan). The event became the largest massacre in the course of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, next to the Kirovabad Pogrom.
On 25-26 of February 1992 Armenian Army captured Azeri town of Khojaly in northern Karabagh. Over 800 civilians were butchered in cold blood. Khojaly is a settlement of Azerbaijan situated in the strategic point on the road Agdam-Shusha, Khankendi(Stepanakert)- Askeran near the only airport in Karabakh. Its population is more then 7 thousand people.
Late on February 25 the city was under the intensive fire from the town Khankendi and Askeran. The airport and neighboring houses was destroyed. More then 150 people defending the airport were killed by sporadic artillery shelling of regiment No 366. The next day, on February 26 the fire shooting grew heavier and more fierce. After powerful artillery shelling Armenian bandits launched a massive attack. Armoured vehicles of Soviet Army regiment No 366 were in the first row of the attackers. They were followed by Armenian armed bandit units. The Armenian armed men backed by armoured vehicles killed the defenders of the districts and houses. The most valuable property and personal possessions were loaded onto the trucks and taken away towards the town of Khankendi.
Occupation of Khojaly was followed with unprecedented brutalities against the civilian population. In a few hours the aggressors killed 613 innocent and unarmed people. Among them were 106 women, 83 children. 56 people were killed with special brutality. 8 families were totally exterminated. 25 children were totally, and 130 children were partly orphaned. 476 people became disabled persons (of them 76 were minors). 1275 people were taken into hostage and even though afterwards most of the hostages were released from captivity, the fates of 150 of them are still unknown. The event had sparked the exodus of Azerbaijanis from their historic lands. Ten years on and the world is still oblivious to the suffering caused by the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan Republic. As the result of ethnic cleansing in Karabagh, and other territories occupied by Armenians, some 1,000,000 people have been expelled from their homes and forced to live in tent-camps and railway carriages…
Here is the photos from today's action: In the nationwide march, which began with a Square of Liberty, attended by over 60,000 people:
