30 years pass since Garadaghli tragedy

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the Garadaghli tragedy.

Report informs that the Garadaghli village in the Khojavand district of Azerbaijan struggled heroically against the Armenian occupation for four years. The village was occupied and burned down on February 17, 1992, and the Armenian invaders carried out genocide against civilians.

Garadaghli village is located 13 km west of the Khojavand district, on the outskirts of Khojavand-Khankandi highway.

The Khojavand village was occupied on December 19, 1991, and the Malibeyli village of Shusha was occupied and burned down on February 12, 1992.

The next target was Garadaghli. The situation in the village was getting worse and the day of the tragedy was approaching.

The Armenian armed formations, with the support of the 366th motor-infantry regiment of the former USSR, attacked Garadaghli village on 15 February 1992. After two days of heavy fighting, Armenians managed to occupy the village on February 17 by breaking through the defense.

After that, the Armenian gangs looted and destroyed the village. Armenian militaries brutally murdered, tortured and took hostages innocent civilians, including women, children and the elderly. They killed nearly 80 of 117 captivated villagers, six went missing, while nine people, according to witnesses, were taken captive.

Eyewitnesses said 43 of the captured Azerbaijanis were shot two kilometers away from Khankandi, and some were beheaded.

The invaders destroyed 200 homes, 1 culture house, 320 secondary schools, 25 hospital beds and other objects, historical, religious, cultural monuments and cemeteries belonging to Azerbaijanis. Some 800 residents of the village have been displaced.

Garadaghli tragedy has been filmed for the world community and a book about Garadaghli genocide was published. In addition, memorial complexes were erected to perpetuate the memory of martyrs.