Nearly 200 Azerbaijani civilians shot, buried near Asgaran, Armenian detainee says Investigation by State Security Service/VIDEO

A comprehensive investigation into the facts of terrorism and war crimes committed by illegal Armenian armed detachments operating in the liberated Azerbaijani territories is underway.

An investigation is currently underway into the testimony of Rashid Beglaryan regarding the Khojaly genocide, the Azerbaijani State Security Service told Caliber.Az.

Beglaryan was arrested on charges under articles 112, 113, 115.2, 279.1 and 318.1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan. He is suspected of torturing captured Azerbaijanis and other persons protected by international humanitarian law, held in children's hospital No. 3 in the city of Khankendi, as well as of committing other serious crimes against humanity, war crimes, and participation in the actions of illegal Armenian armed detachments.

The persons subjected to torture were identified and recognised as victims in the mentioned criminal case. During the interrogation Beglaryan informed about his involvement in the Khojaly genocide in February 1992.

He said that according to the prearranged plan of the members of the Armenian Armed Forces and illegal Armenian armed formations acting under their command to attack the densely populated civilian town of Khojaly, promising the surviving Azerbaijani civilians to ensure their safe passage to Aghdam district through Asgaran district, he and the members of the illegal Armenian armed detachments surrounded and shot nearly 200 civilians, most of whom were women, children and elderly, while they were moving along the Gargarchay River bank towards the Aghdam district on February 26, 1992.

After the personal belongings of the victims were looted by the members of the criminal group, their corpses were buried near the Asgaran fortress.

When testifying on the spot, Rashid Beglaryan provided a detailed information and showed the places where criminal acts were committed against the civilian population.

The investigation into the case is currently underway.

To recap, on the night of February 25-26, 1992, Armenian armed formations with the participation of the 366th regiment of the former Soviet army committed genocide in the town of Khojaly. As a result of this genocide, 613 people were killed, including 106 women, 63 children, and 70 elderly people. 1,275 civilians were taken prisoner and the fate of 150 people is still unknown.

Azerbaijan regained control of the city following the anti-terrorist measures against the separatist junta regime in Karabakh on September 19-20, after 31 years of occupation.