Azerbaijan observes 34th anniversary of Khojaly Genocide

Today, February 26, 2026, marks 34 years since the Khojaly Genocide. Commemorative events dedicated to this tragic date in Azerbaijan’s recent history will take place across the country and abroad.

As Caliber.Az recalls, the town of Khojaly had been under blockade since October 1991. On October 30, road access was cut off, leaving air transport as the only means of communication. The last civilian helicopter arrived in Khojaly on January 28. From January 2, electricity was no longer supplied to the town. The city survived solely thanks to the courage of its residents and the heroism of its defenders. The defence of Khojaly was organised by local militias, police forces, and National Army units, who were primarily armed with small arms.

On the night of February 25–26, 1992, Armenian armed formations, supported by heavy equipment and personnel from the 366th Motorised Rifle Regiment of the former Soviet Army stationed in Khankendi, captured Khojaly. The assault on the town was preceded by a massive bombardment from artillery and heavy military equipment, which had begun on the evening of February 25. A fire broke out in the town as a result. The remaining population, approximately 2,500 people, was forced to flee their homes with the sole hope of reaching the city of Aghdam.

However, this hope was never realised. Armenian armed formations carried out a brutal massacre of the civilian population.

As a result, 613 people were killed, including:

• 63 children

• 106 women

• 70 elderly

• 8 families were completely destroyed

• 25 children lost both parents

• 130 children lost one parent

487 people were injured, including 76 children.
1,275 people were taken hostage, and 150 went missing.

Following a resolution of the Milli Majlis (Azerbaijani parliament) on February 24, 1994, February 26 was officially declared the Day of the Khojaly Genocide.

On February 24, 2017, the Parliament of Azerbaijan reaffirmed that the massacres committed against Azerbaijanis on the night of February  25–26, 1992 in the town of Khojaly by the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia, Armenian militants, and the 366th Motorised Rifle Regiment of the former Soviet Army constitute genocide, as established by the Milli Majlis resolutions of February 24, 1994, February 24, 1995, February 27, 2007, and February 24, 2012.