Azeris mark Khojali massacre

DUBAI- Azerbaijani community members in the UAE gathered in Dubai on Wednesday to commemorate victims of the Khojali massacre committed by Armenian aggressors on February 26, 1992 in the city of Khojali, Azerbaijan, in a dispute over Nagorny Karabakh.

By Jamila Qadir

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Published: Fri 28 Feb 2003, 3:24 AM

Last updated: Wed 1 Apr 2015, 10:26 PM

On that day, Armenian armed forces, with the support of infantry guards regiment of former Soviet Union, destroyed the city of Khojali, killing 700 people. About 1,275 people were taken hostage and later they were subjected to torture and shot dead, Eldar Salimov, Azerbaijani Ambassador to the UAE, said.

Khojali was targeted by Armenian armed forces because of its strategic location and airport, the only one in Nagorny Karabakh.

Later, the Armenian side admitted that one of the first goals of its armed forces was the 'liquidation' of Khojali base to open the corridor connecting Askeran village and Khankendi across the city and unblocking the airport which was under Azeri control.

Nagorny Karabakh is situated in the middle of the country and has no borders with Armenia. This was the reason why Armenian aggressors have occupied some 20 per cent of the Azerbaijani lands adjoining Nagorny Karabakh, the ambassador said.


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