Azeris recall Nagorno-Karabakh massacre; Armenia opens enclave to mineral interests
Some 60,000 Azeris gathered in Baku Feb. 26 to mark the 20th anniversary of the Khojaly massacre in the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. President Ilham Aliyev participated in the mass gathering at Azadlig Square. Young people held portraits of the victims, under banners reading, "The world must recognize the Khojaly genocide" and "No to Armenian fascism!" (News.az, Feb. 26)
By Azerbaijan's count, 613 Khojaly residents were killed on Feb. 26, 1992, as the town fell to Armenian troops backed up by the ex-Soviet 366th regiment. Fleeing civilians were ambushed at several points and gunned down on the roads; survivors fled into the forest and mountains. Over the coming days, many were hunted down there—some having their bodies mutilated and scalped as the notorious Karabakh "war trophies." The Armenian regime has not denied the attack, but insists the death toll is exaggerated. Turkey and Azerbaijan have called for world recognition of the massacre as a crime against humanity. Ethnic Armenian forces now control Nagorno-Karabakh, an enclave within Azerbaijan. Some 30,000 were killed and 1 million displaced during the six-year conflict. A ceasefire was declared in 1994, but violations have been frequent and diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict have failed. (AP, Feb. 26; Khojaly.org, Justice for Khojaly) (See maps, Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh)
The Armenia-based Vallex Group has meanwhile launched copper, lead and barite exploration in Nagorno-Karabakh, where a vein in the Drmbon-Mahmaninskiy region is believed to contain rich deposits. Vallex is already boosting copper production in Armenia proper, becoming a major supplier to Europe—although second to regional leader Georgia. (News.ar, Feb. 17; News.ar, Feb. 26)
See our last posts on the struggle for the Caucasus and the global mineral cartel.
Artsakh
The frames made by the Azerbaijani cameraman Chingiz Mustafaev, who was also given access to the place of exchanging the bodies of the deceased Armenians and Azerbaijanis, were disseminated. It is known that Mustafaev made the film twice, with a two-day break. The film testifies that some bodies had been disfigured by the second filming.
During the second fly to the area of mass killing of the people, March 2, 1992, the journalists noted that the bodies' position on the land and the degree of the injuries and wounds had strikingly changed. And this was in the territory fully controlled by the Azerbaijani Popular Front till the summer of 1993. Just this fact is thoroughly concealed by the Azerbaijani propagandists. It is quite obvious that the bodies' position was changed to put all the blame for the events on Armenians, making semblance as if the Khojalu inhabitants were fired by the Armenian party.
Falsification of history is a Turkish trend.Khojali incidents are recent, filmed & well documented.
Khojaly massacre as "false flag"
The Azeris massacred themselves to discredit the Armenians? This sounds depressingly like the repulsive hogwash that some quarters have been spewing re. the Srebrenica massacre...
Reply to "Azeris massacred themselves"
Azerbaijan was in major turmoil with defeat after defeat by Armenian forces. If Armenian forces wanted to they could have massacred tons of civilians in other areas. Khojaly was a important location to Armenians as it had access to the only airport in the area. Armenians gave out numerous warnings to leave the area, and provided a corridor. They even let the Azeris collect their dead! the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is ugly. Both Armenians and Azeris are victims of murders, and have paid a heavy price during the war.
Get lost, apologist for mass murder
Listen to you. "Armenians gave out numerous warnings to leave the area, and provided a corridor." In other words, you admit they forced the residents from their homes and engaged in ethnic cleansing! The only problem is, that "corridor" was lined with machine-gun nests that cut down the refugees as they fled. "Both sides are victims" is the perennial platitude of those who wish to cover up atrocities.
Go away.
Jumping to Conclusions
Yeah well the Srebecenica massacre was by and large a CNN creation. At the very least the mass murder of Serbs that was being carried out by the Bosnian soldiers in Srebecenica was totally ignored. The UN never found the 8,000 bodies. I mean you guys are anti Imperialist here right. I am not making excuses for Serbian atrocities, but I am sure as hell not going to make excuses for American imperialism pulling many of the strings behind these little wars, or their lackeys. I have to admit I am somewhat partial to the Armenian side just given my Yugoslavian heritage. I do think the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh more or less belongs to Armenia though anyone who lives there should be allowed to live there regardless of ethnicity. That is a principle I firmly believe in, the Bosnian War wasn't between "Bosnians" and Serbs. The Serbs of Bosnia are Bosnian too. I don't know that this was a false flag I am not gonna say that but I think it would be wrong and stupid to take this and develop a world view where the Armenians are the bad guys and Azerbaijan are the good guys. That would just be a classic tale of Russian ally vs a country that is potentially ripe, if they let their own conflict blur their world view, into becoming a US puppet
Get lost, apologist for mass murder
I love the way you denialists always try to leave a little wiggle room in your monstrous lies. "Srebecenica [sic] massacre was by and large a CNN creation." Emphasis on the by-and-large.
There was no "mass murder of Serbs" anywhere near comparable to the Serb mass murder of Muslims.
Even if there was, it would justify nothing. Or do you think mass murder is OK if your enemies are doing it too?
The UN has in fact found around half of the 8,000 bodies, which is pretty good considering that your Chetnik pals went to great lengths to hide them, scattering them in several mass graves around the region.
You aren't making excuses for Serbian atrocities? The hell you aren't.
Berisha, eh? An Albanian supporter of Serb fascism? Well, we've seen stranger things.
In any case, get off my website, fool.