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Tragedy of genocide

  



History of Khojaly
Khojaly is the most ancient area of Azerbaijan and historical place of inhabitance of population with memorials of ancient history.  The memorials of Khojaly -Gedabey culture of XIV-VII centuries B.C. are located near Khojaly . The funeral memorials - the stone boxes, barrows and necropolis of the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age, as well as architectural memorials - round crypt (1356-1357) were found here.   Various stone, bronze, bone adornment, the ceramics household goods were found during the archeological excavations. The name of the Assyrian king Adadnerari (807-788 cc. B.C.) was written on one of the beads found in Khojaly.
Kkhojaly town was included in Asgeron region’s administrative territory during Soviets. And Khojaly region was established on the bases of Asgeran region. 

Khojaly in 1992 
Khojaly city is the center of same name region. The city population is 7000 people and it is situated 10 kilometers to South-East from Khankendi. Khojaly is situated on the way Aghdam-Shusha, Askeran-Khankendi.  
There were 1 medical enterprise, 54 cultural centers, the textile factory, 2 secondary schools and 2 partial secondary schools in the city. The only airport in Garabagh was in Khojaly. The population ranched and done with the wine-growing, beekeeping and grain farming.
In connection with the events of 1988 54 Turks-Meskhets families - refugees from Fergana
(Uzbekistan), as well as Azerbaijanis expatriated from Armenia and Khankendi have taken refuge in this city. 

Khojaly - the Main Target
During Garabagh war assault on Khojaly by Armenian armed forces was predetermined by strategic and geographic location of the city. Khojaly is situated on the way Aghdam-Shusha, Askeran-Khankendi and has an airport, the only in Nagorno-Karabakh. 
Later the Armenian side admitted that one of the first goals of Armenian armed forces was the liquidation of Khojaly base to open the corridor connected Askeran village and Khankendi across the city and unblocking of the only airport, which was under control of the Azerbaijanis.
Moreover the second factor was that Khojaly was the historical area. Monuments of Khojaly-Gadabey culture of XIV-VII centuries BC and other monuments were located near Khojaly, and Armenians wanted to destroy these historical traces of Azerbaijanis.
   
Assault on Khojaly
Over the night from February 25 to 26, 1992 Armenian armed forces implemented the capture of the Khojaly city of Azerbaijan with support of hard equipment and the personnel of the infantry guards regiment #366 of former Soviet Union located in Khankendi (Stepanakert). 
The massed firing with using artillery weapon, hard military equipment, which was began in the evening of February 25, preceded assault of the city.
As a result of this the fire began in the city and by five o'clock in the morning the whole city was in fire. In such conditions the population (about 2500 people) remained in the city were forced to leave their houses in the hope to find the way to Aghdam - the district center and the nearest place mainly populated by Azerbaijanis. But these plans have failed. Armenian armed forces with the military support of the infantry guards regiment destroyed Khojaly city and with particular brutality implemented carnage over the peaceful population. Armenians did abusive actions over rescued people.  They beheaded them and cut different parts of body, took out he eyes of children and cut the abdomens of pregnant women. During the assault forbidden bullets of 5,45 caliber and chemical weapons were used, too. As a result of assault:
613 people were killed, among them;
63 children,
106 women,
70 the elderly.
8 families were killed completely.
25 children lost both parents.
130 children lost one of the parents.
487 people were wounded,
İncluding;
76 children
1275 people were hostages
150 people were missing
The damage done to both state and private property estimated 5 billion rubles (according to the prices for 01.04.92)
These figures show the results of the most bloody tragedy of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which began
on February, 1988 with illegal demands of ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast of
Azerbaijan SSR to join Armenia SSR that was provoked with direct support of ruling circles of the Armenian
SSR, consent and inactivity of central authorities of Soviet Union.



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