Azerbaijan’s ambassador marks 35th anniversary of January 20 tragedy in Egyptian newspaper

An article by Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Egypt, Elkhan Polukhov, has been published in the widely-read Egyptian newspaper Al-Akhbar Al-Masai, commemorating the 35th anniversary of the January 20 tragedy.

The article provides details about the events of January 20, 1990, and the atrocities committed by the Soviet army against unarmed civilians, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

The ambassador states that over 130 people were killed and more than 700 injured when Soviet forces used heavy machinery and firearms to suppress peaceful protests by the Azerbaijani people, who were demanding freedom.

Despite the tragedy, this day is remembered as one of the most significant in Azerbaijan’s history. The ambassador highlights that it marked the irreversible phase of the liberation movement, which had begun long before these events.

Today, Azerbaijan celebrates its independence, thanks to those who sacrificed their lives, believing that one day their homeland would be free.

The article also recalls that the day after the Soviet attack on Azerbaijan’s capital, national leader Heydar Aliyev visited the Azerbaijani mission in Moscow to express his nation’s anger and protest against the Soviet regime.

The ambassador emphasizes that it was only after Heydar Aliyev returned to leadership in Azerbaijan that the events of January 20 were given a political and legal assessment, with the date officially declared as National Mourning Day.

By Aghakazim Guliyev