On the night of February 25-26, 1992, amid the crumbling remnants of the Soviet Union, the world witnessed a horrific chapter of human brutality in the Khojaly region of what is now Azerbaijan's Garabagh. Armenian military forces, bolstered by heavy artillery, tanks, and an infantry regiment, surrounded the region in a calculated assault that lasted for two agonizing hours. By the end of this relentless barrage, 613 innocent Azerbaijani civilians were dead, including 116 women, 63 children, and hundreds of others who were left wounded.

This dark and brutal event, often referred to as the Khojaly Genocide, has become emblematic of the wider atrocities committed during the conflict over the region. What unfolded in Khojaly was not simply an act of war; it was a deliberate massacre carried out with chilling precision. The survivors who attempted to flee were met with a harsh and unforgiving environment. As they ventured into the freezing night, they faced not just the elements but also the cruelty of their attackers, who spared no one in their pursuit of terror.

In the aftermath, the horrors of Khojaly did not only end with the deaths of the innocent. Many residents were captured and subjected to torture by the invading Armenian forces. In the years that followed, Armenia refused to acknowledge the fate of the more than 150 Azerbaijanis who went missing, leaving their families to endure the haunting uncertainty of not knowing what had happened to their loved ones. And, disturbingly, those responsible for the atrocities continue to evade justice.

Despite international recognition of the Khojaly tragedy, the Armenian government has consistently denied the facts,........

© AzerNews