Ambassador Elin Suleymanov briefed the event participants on the history of the tragedy, which claimed the lives of 613 people, including 83 children, 106 women and 70 elders. "A total of 1,000 civilians were disabled during the genocide committed by the Armenian military forces in the town of Khojaly on February 26, 1992. Eight families were completely annihilated, 130 children lost one parent, and 25 lost both. Additionally, 1,275 peaceful residents were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 remains unknown,” he said.
An Azerbaijani poem - “A Lullaby for Khojaly Kids” written by Yusif Savalan and chosen by Shahla Naghiyeva depicts the tragic event - which was translated, words adapted and edited by Shara McCallum, then set for music as “Khojaly Lullaby” by Haskell Small for narrator, pianist, soprano, and clarinet.
The Khojaly massacre is one of the most heinous and bloodiest events of the 20th century.
Late into the night of February 25, 1992, Khojaly came under intensive fire from the towns of Khankendi and Askeran already occupied by Armenian armed forces. The Armenian forces, supported by the ex-Soviet 366th regiment, completed the surrounding of the town already isolated due to ethnic cleansing of the Azerbaijani population of the neighboring regions. The joint forces occupied the town, which was ruined by heavy artillery shelling.
Thousands of fleeing civilians were ambushed by the Armenian forces. Punitive teams of the so-called Nagorno Karabakh defense army reached the unprotected civilians to slaughter them, mutilating and scalping some bodies.
More about: #Justice-For-Khojaly
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