Before the attack, in the evening of  February  25  the town was exposed to fire of heavy artillery and heavy vehicles. In the result of   fires occurred in the town and on February 26, at 5 o`clock  in the morning the whole town was in fire. In such case nearly 2.500 people were forced to leave the town which was surrounded by Armenians with the hope to reach the center of Aghdam region, where Azerbaijanis were living. 

However, all these plans failed. Armenian armed forces with the help of the Rifle Regiment destroyed the town and civilians. As a result 613 civilians were killed, among which :

1275 people were captivated. 150 people were missing. State and private property suffered damage at a price of 5 billion rubles for the date 01.04.1992. These figures report the claim that was arose from 1988 with the Armenian support and connivance of the Soviet leadership and based on to implement the annexation of Nagorno- Karabakh Autonomous Region to Armenia. It claims the most terrible and bloody massacre of  the Armenia- Azerbaijan conflict.

The attack to Khojaly by Armenian armed forces predetermined geographical position of the town. The town of Khojalywith a population of 7000 is located  10 km south-east from Khankendi, at Karabakh Mountain Range, on the road that connected Shusha and Stepanakert to Aghdam and had the region`s only airport. 

Khojaly is the historical place and has ancient monuments. Monuments of Khojaly- Gadabay culture of  theXIV-VII  centuries  BC are situated near Khojaly. Burial monuments- stone boxes, barrows and  necropolis attributed to the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age  were found here. As well as Khojalyhas  architectural monuments –circular grave (1356-1357 years) and mausoleum (XIV century) . During archaeological excavations various types of  stone, bronze, bone jewelry, pottery, household items and so on were found here.  The king of the Assyria Adadnerary`s (the period of 807-788 BC) name was written on one of the found beads. 

The population had been engaged in growing, animal husbandry, beekeeping and farming. There were textile factories, 2 secondary and 2 incomplete secondary  schools.

In recent years , related with the events in Fargana (Uzbekistan)54 Meskhetian-turk refugee  families, as well as some  Azerbaijanis expatriated from Armenia and Khankendi were settled in this town. 

Later Armenian side admitted that , the first major task of Armenian armed forces was destruction of the Askeran - Stepanakert highway, discharging this point, the seizure of the airport inKhojaly  that was under the control of Azerbaijan.

Pay attention to these words: “Khojaly destruction”. Now this statement clearly shows the cause of the bloody massacre committed by Armenians, mass destruction of children, women and  old men. 

Khojaly was under blockade since October,1991. On October,30 all connections had been cut off and  the only transportation was helicopter. The last helicopter arrived in Khojaly on January 28, 1992. A civilian helicopter was shot down over Shusha city, and after the destruction of 40 people this connection had also been cut off. From January,2 there was no electricity in the city. The city was protected and defended thanks to the heroism and courage of the population living there. The defense of the town was organized mainly by self-defense armed unit, militia and fighters of  the National Army. 

Since the second half of February  Khojaly was encircled by Armenian armed forces and every day was exposed the fire of  the artillery, military equipment and attack attempts by  Armenian side. 

Preparation for Khojaly attack started from evening of February,25 by taking fight position of  military equipment of the 366th Motor Rifle Regiment. Attack to the town started 2 hours after  firing by artillery,  tanks and “Alazan’ anti-aircraft cannons. 

As Khojaly was attacked from three sides, population of the town were forced to flee in the direction of Askeran. Soon it became clear that it was a cunning ruse. People were stopped near the village of  Nakhchevanik  by Armenian armed forces and were shot. People were weakened and tired in the snowy passes and forests, they were brutally killed in the plain of Askeran-Nakhchevanik by Armenian armed forces. 

These events took place during Ali Akbar Velayati`svisit to the region  , Foreign Affairs  Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He met with the leaders of the government of Azerbaijan and planned to visit Karabakh on February,25 and Armenia on February, 27. In this regard, with the consent of the sides a three-days cease-fire was declared  from February,27 to March,1. They ignore him and went back on promises. 

A similar situation took place on February,12 when mission of the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe came to Karabakh in order to get acquainted with the situation and to analyze the issues of settlement of the conflict . Later the mission had to visit Yerevan and Baku. Just on February,12  the villages Malibeyli and Gushchular of Shusha were plundered and burnt. Only in Malibeyli 50 people were killed, wounded and taken as a prisoner. 

In those days Azerbaijani forces couldn’t reach to Khojaly residents, even to take away the dead bodies was impossible. At that time Armenians searched people who hid in the forests,  by helicopters , by white-clothed special groups, then took out the captives and tortured them. 

On February 28, the group of local journalists by two helicopters could reach the place where Azerbaijanis were killed. Awful sight shocked all- the plain was full of dead bodies. Despite  the convoy of the second helicopter, they could take only 4 dead bodies. On March 1, with the participation of local and foreign journalists even worse view was observed at the scene. Removal of scalps of the bodies, cut off ears and other organs, removal of eyes, cut off limbs, multiple stabs and gunshot wounds, contusions with heavy equipment and more terrible facts were revealed. 

Atrocities wrote in foreign newspapers:

Krual`Eveneman magazine (Paris), February 25, 1992: “Armenians attacked Khojaly. The whole world witnessed to the disfigured dead bodies. The Azerbaijanis speak about thousands of deaths.”

Sunday Times (London), March 1, 1992: “Armenian soldiers destroyed thousands of families.”

Financial Times newspaper (London ), March 9,1992: “Armenians shot down the people going to Aghdam. Azerbaijanis counted 1200 dead bodies.”

Lebanese cameraman had confirmed that rich Dashnak community of his country sent weapon and people to Karabakh. 

Times (London), March 4, 1992: “Many people were mutilated. Only the head of baby girl had remained.”

Известие (Moscow), March 4, 1992: “The camera showed children with ears cut off.  A woman`s face was cut in half. Scalps of the men were taken”. 

Financial Times newspaper (London ), March 14,1992:“General Polyakov said that 103 Armenian soldiers of the 366th Regiment remained in Nagorno-Karabakh.”

Le Monde newspaper (Paris), March 14, 1992: “Foreign journalists in Aghdam saw 3 dead bodies among women and children whose scalps and nails had been taken. It is not Azerbaijanis` propaganda, it is reality. “

Известие (Moscow), March 13, 1992: Major Leonid Kravets: “I personally saw hundreds of corpses on the hill. There was a boy without a head. There were women, children, old people  killed with special cruelty.”

ValerAktuel magazine (Paris), March 14, 1992: “Armenian armed forces have modern military equipment, including helicopters in this “autonomous region”. ASALA  has military bases and ammunition depots in Syria and Lebanon. Committing massacres in over hundred Muslim villages, Armenians killed Azerbaijanis in Karabakh.”

In the autumn of 1991, the town of Khojaly was blocked by Armenian armed forces, after the withdrawal of troops from Nagorno- Karabakh, the town was in a complete blockade. Since January, 1992 the town was without electricity. Some part of the population had left town, but despite repeated requests of the Head of the Executive Power of KhojalyE.Mammadov, there was not total evacuation of civilians. 

On February 25,1992 Armenian armed forces began to attack. Parts of Artsakh National Liberation Army participated in the attack with the support of armored vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles and tanks. As refugees mentioned, nearly all the soldiers of the 366 th Motor Rifle Regiment of the Soviet Union took part in the assault upon the town. Even some of them could enter the town. 

Process of assault 

From February,25 cannons started firing the town of Khojaly. First of all residential barracks and defense points were destroyed. On February,26 at 1.00-4.00 a.m. infantry units entered the town. The last defense point was destroyed at 7.00 o`clock. 

In result of shooting determined amount of civilians` property was destroyed. 

Free corridor for population leaving

During the assault upon the town, Memorial Observers in Aghdam and Khojaly had questioned 60 people fled. Only one questioned told that he knew existence of the corridor. Fleeing people through the free corridor were shooting in Aghdamregion,in result a great number of people were killed. 

Fate of the inhabitants who stayed in the town

When the town was occupied by Armenian armed forces there were 300 civilians, including 86 Mekhsetianturks. According to the information received from both sides, on March 3, 1992 more than 700 Khojaly residents captivated in the town and on road to Aghdam, were given to Azerbaijan. They were mainly women and children. 

Population captivated and detention condition of Khojaly defenders

Major Khachaturian, chief of the Temporary Detention Isolator, did not allow even to talk for a few minutes alone. Incidentally, it was possible to speak once. 

Khojaly residents` property

Khojaly residents who fled the town could not even get the necessary things. “Memorial”observers witnessed frantic robbery. The remaining property was taken by the population of Stepanakertand nearby settlements. The names of the new owners were inscribed on the gates of  the houses. 

During the military operation carried out on the occupation of Khojaly town, mass violence were committed on civilians. Population of Khojaly didn’t get  any information about the free corridor. 

“Memorial” Human Rights Defenders Center confirms that the actions against civilians in Khojaly by Armenian armed forces during the attack violated the Geneva Convention, also the following provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (United Nations General Assembly adopted in 10.12.1948):

Article 2. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind , such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. 

Article 3.Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 5.No oneshallbe subjectedto torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Article 9. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

Article 17.  1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.

2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of this property. 

The role of 366th Regiment should be especially noted in Khojaly Genocide. This Regiment had repeatedly engaged in firing of Shusha, Khojaly and other villages of Azerbaijan. Military personnel of this Regiment proved these facts and gave an idea  about the moral status and relationships of the soldiers. Immediate withdrawal of 366th Regiment from Khankendi proved the fact that the Regiment involved in Khojaly genocide. 

Military team alleged that as if local residents resisted and the Regiment couldn’t withdraw freely. To this end, the forces of landing division were involved. However, until these forces came, 103 men of the Regiment participated in the massacre, mostly Armenians, refused to obey the order and stayed in Karabakh.

The main culprits of vandalism committed in Khojaly are personnel of 366th Motor Rifle Regiment and Armenian armed units. Armenians and their accomplices, who participated in Khojaly genocide is gross violation of human rights. They brazenly ignored international legal acts- the Geneva Convention, also the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Treaty on Civil and Political Rights, the Declaration on the Protection of Women and Children in Emergency and Armed  conflicts. 

Political and military leadership of Azerbaijan for that time is considered to be guilty. AyazMutallibov, being the President and Commander-in-Chief of Azerbaijan, had not taken necessary measures in order to provide territorial integrity of the country, safety and security of its citizens, prevent the events in Karabakh, as well as in Khojaly. 

As a highest official of the country, leadership of Azerbaijan failed to ensure a constitutional order, territorial integrity and protection of human rights and freedoms. After the tragedy, they were even afraid of  alleging  the bitter truth and concealed information about true scale of perversions committed by Armenian armed criminals. 

Azerbaijan Parliament (MilliMajlis) declared the date of February, 26 as“Khojaly Genocide Day”. Every year at 17.00 on February,26 Azerbaijani people tribute to the memory of the Khojaly Genocide victims. Khojaly residents, displaced from their homes in 48 districts of Azerbaijan, live with the hope of fair solution of the conflict, end of aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan, restoring the territorial integrity of the country. They appeal to the world`s nations, states and international organizations  to defend  justice and truth, also to condemn terrorism and ethnic cleansing facts committed in Khojaly.  Perpetrators, organizers and executors of the Khojaly Genocide must get deserved punishment. Crime can not remain unpunished. Unfortunately, genocide and ethnic cleansing facts occurred in the XXI century. The Khojaly tragedy is the most terrible historical event  among them. Currently, individuals who participated in these events in any way  are responsible before their conscience. But the time will come and they will have to answer before the court of  history.