Azerbaijan discovers mass burial site in Khojaly
VIDEO

REPORTS  08 February 2024 - 17:10

A new mass grave site has been unearthed in the Asgaran settlement of the Khojaly district of the Karabakh Economic Region of Azerbaijan.

The skeletal remains found on the site are believed to belong to a minimum of eight individuals - victims of the Khojaly Massacre in February 1992.

Caliber's correspondent and political expert, Orkhan Amashov had exclusive access to the newly-discovered mass grave site near the fortress walls in the Asgaran settlement.

🇦🇿📍 #CaliberAz's correspondent and political expert, @OrkhanAmashov had exclusive access to the newly-discovered mass grave site near the fortress walls in the Asgaran settlement, in the #Khojaly district.

“Skeleton remains identified here are believed to belong at least to 8… pic.twitter.com/gFPRlN4bf6

— Caliber English (@CaliberEnglish) February 8, 2024

“Skeleton remains identified here are believed to belong at least to 8 individuals, the victims of the Khojaly massacre. As Azerbaijan continues to rebuild and restore the liberated territories more of such gruesome discoveries, sadly, are anticipated,” Amashov said.

Pointing to the Asgaran fortress, an 18th-century engineering masterpiece, the correspondent said that this architectural edifice “has survived for centuries, the ravages of time and three-decade-long Armenian occupation”.

❗️A new mass #grave site has been unearthed in the Asgaran settlement of the #Khojaly district of the #Karabakh Region of #Azerbaijan. The skeletal remains found on the site are believed to belong to a minimum of eight individuals - #victims of the Khojaly #Massacre of 1992.… pic.twitter.com/iOz0owA8UP

— Caliber English (@CaliberEnglish) February 8, 2024

“As of September 2023, Azerbaijan has fully restored its sovereignty over this area and the reason why I am here today is to visit the grisly site of a mass grave newly unearthed in the vicinity of this fortress,” Amashov added.

During the First Karabakh War, a series of massacres were committed by Armenian forces against Azerbaijanis, with the Khojaly Genocide standing as the most massive tragedy. Late into the night on February 25, 1992, Armenia's forces, backed by the Infantry Guard Regiment No. 366 from a then-collapsed Soviet army, assaulted the town of Khojaly, located in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.

As a result of the attack, the Armenian armed forces killed 613 ethnic Azerbaijanis, including 106 women, 63 children, and 70 elderly people; and took another 1,275 as hostages. Another 150 Azerbaijani nationals went missing, and their fates remain unknown to this day. The number of people suffering major injuries or being maimed totalled 487, including 76 children.

After the 44-day war in 2020, mass graves were found in the territory of Shusha prison and Dashalti village, Sarijali village of Ahgdam district, Edilli village of Khojavand district, Farrukh village of Khojaly district, Yukhary Seyidahmadli village of Fuzuli district and Bashlibel village of Kalbajar district. To date, the remains of about 400 Azerbaijani people have been found there.

Caliber.Az