Azerbaijan marks 31st anniversary of Bashlibel massacre

As Azerbaijan marks the anniversary of the Bashlibel tragedy, the painful memories of the massacre perpetrated by Armenian militants against Azerbaijani civilians in Kalbajar resonate once again.

This year, 31 years have passed since the fateful events unfolded, leaving an indelible scar on the collective consciousness of the affected communities.

In the early days of April 1993, following the occupation of Kalbajar by Armenian forces, the village of Bashlibel, home to approximately 2,000 residents, fell under siege. Amidst the chaos and violence, 73 inhabitants found themselves trapped, attempting to escape into the mountains to evade the onslaught, Caliber.Az reminds.

Their respite was short-lived, as on April 18 of that year, Armenian military personnel launched a brutal attack, mercilessly targeting the civilians who had sought refuge in the Portda cave overlooking the village. In the darkness of that tragic night, 18 lives were tragically cut short, while 14 individuals were taken hostage, enduring untold suffering at the hands of their captors.

For the remaining 30 survivors, the harrowing ordeal continued as they were forced to evade capture, constantly shifting shelters and traversing treacherous mountain paths under the cover of night. Their perseverance and determination were nothing short of heroic, enduring 113 days of hardship before finally emerging from hiding on July 17, 1993.

The Bashlibel tragedy stands as a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict and the enduring trauma faced by those who have witnessed its horrors firsthand. The international community has not forgotten the plight of the victims, with the United States Department of State's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor highlighting the incident in its annual report on global human rights in 2021.