The Khojaly massacre, an act of ethnic cleansing and genocide against the Azerbaijani people, is the most horrific tragedy committed during the former Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This tragedy was a key part of the ethnic cleansing policy carried out by Armenian military-political circles in Karabakh. On the night of February 25-26, 1992, the Armenian armed forces and the 366th motorized rifle regiment of the former Soviet army attacked the Azerbaijani city of Khojaly, committing a brutal massacre and an act of ethnic cleansing against civilians.
Causes and Course of the Tragedy
As a result of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict that began in 1988, Azerbaijani territories were subjected to occupation. The city of Khojaly became one of the most tragic victims of this conflict. Armenia aimed to eliminate the Azerbaijani population in Karabakh in order to take full control of the region. The city of Khojaly held strategic importance.
Therefore, the Armenian armed forces, with the support of the 366th motorized rifle regiment of the former USSR, attacked Khojaly on the night of February 25 to 26, and within a few hours, the city was razed to the ground, and its population was brutally massacred. Civilians trying to escape were killed in the forests and mountains, either from the cold or under a hail of bullets.
Initial Stage: Late 1991 - Early 1992
Starting from October 1991, the city of Khojaly was completely surrounded. Communication between the city and other regions was cut off, making the delivery of food and medical aid difficult. In January 1992, the supply of electricity to the city was completely halted.
Tragedy occurred: February 25-26, 1992
On the evening of February 25, the Armenian armed forces and the 366th regiment of the former Soviet army began shelling the city with artillery and heavy military equipment. At around 1:00 AM on February 26, they launched an attack on Khojaly from all directions, the city was shelled and fires broke out. By around 5:00 AM on February 26, Armenian armed units entered the city and carried out a massacre against the civilian population.
Defense of Khojaly
The defense of Khojaly, which was completely blockaded, was organized by local self-defense units. These units mainly consisted of volunteers and were not equipped with heavy weaponry. The Azerbaijani National Army had a limited presence in Khojaly and could not offer significant resistance against the enemy forces. The weapons used by Khojaly’s residents and defenders were mostly light firearms. Due to the blockade, the supply of weapons, ammunition, and food was extremely limited.
From 1991 onwards, the roads leading to Khojaly were taken under the control of Armenian armed forces, and the only transportation link to the city — helicopter flights — was also halted. This was due to an incident in January 1992 when an Azerbaijani helicopter was shot down near Shusha, resulting in the death of many people. After this event, helicopter flights to the region were suspended.
Although there were several key defensive positions in the city, most of them could not withstand the attacks from the enemy forces equipped with heavy weaponry. The Khojaly airport was one of the main strategic points, but it had fallen under enemy control prior to the massacre.
Consequences and Human Losses
33 years have passed since the Khojaly genocide. On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Armenian armed groups, with the participation of the 366th regiment of the former Soviet army stationed in the city of Khankendi, razed the city of Khojaly to the ground. As a result of the mass massacre committed by Armenian aggressors against the Azerbaijani people, 613 people were brutally killed, including 106 women, 63 children, and 70 elderly individuals. 1,275 civilians were taken hostage, and the fate of 150 people remains unknown to this day. This act of genocide completely wiped out 8 families, left 25 children without both parents and 130 children without one parent.
International Response
For many years, the Azerbaijani state has carried out systematic efforts to bring the truth about the Khojaly tragedy to the attention of the international community and to have it recognized as genocide. The true essence of this horrific genocide, which took place before the eyes of the world, was only revealed after National Leader Heydar Aliyev returned to political power in 1993. In February 1994, the Milli Majlis (Parliament) of the Republic of Azerbaijan gave a political and legal assessment of the Khojaly genocide.
Efforts are underway for the official recognition of the tragedy as genocide by world countries, international organizations, and human rights institutions. For this purpose, the Justice for Khojaly campaign was launched in 2008 by Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. The main goal of the campaign is to raise global awareness about the Khojaly genocide, secure its recognition as genocide at the international level, and ensure that those responsible for this massacre are brought to justice.
Countries Recognizing the Khojaly Genocide
The number of countries recognizing the Khojaly genocide stands at 16. These countries include Mexico, Pakistan, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Peru, Honduras, Romania, Sudan, Jordan, Slovenia, Scotland, Djibouti, Panama, Guatemala, and Latvia. Additionally, 24 U.S. states have recognized the Khojaly genocide. Furthermore, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation has also acknowledged the Khojaly tragedy as genocide.
In 2010, the European Court of Human Rights, in its ruling, described the Khojaly massacre as a “war crime or crime against humanity.”
According to international legal norms, this event should be recognized as genocide in accordance with the 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Although international human rights organizations have condemned the tragedy, no concrete sanctions have yet been imposed on Armenia.
Liberation of Khojaly
Khojaly was liberated from occupation on September 19-20, 2023, as a result of local anti-terrorist measures carried out by the Azerbaijani Army in Karabakh. On October 15, 2023, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, raised the national flag of Azerbaijan in the city of Khojaly. The hoisting of the Azerbaijani flag in Khojaly symbolizes that the blood of the victims of the Khojaly massacre did not go unavenged, reaffirming Azerbaijan’s commitment to justice and sovereignty.
Trials of Armenians Accused of Various Crimes, Including the Khojaly Genocide
According to Article 3 of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, adopted by the United Nations in 1948, those who commit genocide, those who conspire to commit genocide, those who directly or openly incite to commit genocide, those who participate in the intent to commit genocide, including those who participate in genocide, shall be punished.
The trial of the following persons of Armenian origin, who were arrested and brought to Baku during the efforts to ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan after the Second Karabakh War, and accused of committing numerous crimes against the Azerbaijani people - Harutyunyan Arayik Vladimiri, Ghukasyan Arkadi Arshaviri, Sahakyan Bako Sahaki, Ishkhanyan Davit Rubeni, Manukyan David Azati, Babayan Davit Klimi, Mnatsakanyan Levon Henrikovich, Beglaryan Vasili Ivani, Ghazaryan Eric Roberti, Allahverdiyan Davit Nelsoni, Stepanyan Gurgen Homerosi, Balayan Levon Romiki, Babayan Madat Arakelovich, Martirosyan Garik Grigori, Pashayan Melikset Vladimiri, Ruben Vardanyan and others, is currently underway.
These individuals, accused of committing the Khojaly genocide as well as numerous war crimes against the Azerbaijani people, are now answering before the court of justice.
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