Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, 28 years ago Armenian military forces surrounded Khojaly region in Garabagh after battering it with heavy artillery and tanks, assisted by an infantry regiment. During the two-hour constant shooting in the region put an end to 613 innocent lives of Azerbaijani people. The sinister plan of Armenian aggressors was cunningly carried out in the night from the 25th into the 26th of February.
By killing women, children and elderly people who even tried to flee the region in the frosty February night faced brutality - that terrible night left in the history with losses of lives of 116 women, 63 children and 487 injured people.
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However, Armenian aggression did not end with that, it lasted with tortures on armless residents who were captured by the Armenian armed forces. Armenia yet never addmitted the facts about the missing residents who were taken hostage during seizure of the region by the Armenian military troops, and it is unfortunate to say that those having hands in crimes neve faced any charges on international criminal court. Despite the calls by international organisations and recognition of the Khojaly events as Khojaly Genocide in many documents and protocols, Armenian side impudently keep denying the facts of the planned mass killing of Azerbaijanis in their own lands.
Today almost entire the world recognise that bloody night as an attempt by Armenians to eradigate Azerbaijani Turks in their ancient land of Garabagh. As support to the facts the experts from around the world joined the discussion on the Garabagh and Khojaly events, where history is clearly depicted through eyes them.
Eurasia Diary presents the comments and lively histores of world experts exposing Armenian aggressions in Garabagh and Khojaly events.
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Today another expert and journalist Neil Watson from London is sharig his views on Khojaly genicide talking to Eurasia Diary.
Neil Watson is a Chief Executive of the Aitmatov Academy and a professional journalist and a lecturer at Samara University. Neil Watson is a versatile, professional and proficient journalist and editor with 25 years’ international experience of interviewing, writing, editing, proof-reading and managing every element of the publications process. He is also a proficient organiser of business forums, conferences, round-tables, gallery exhibitions and trade show representations, and has undertaken some TV interviewing.
Neil has spent the past decade working on behalf of Azerbaijan, and hence has gained some knowledge in many spheres of business in the South Caucasus.
"In my view, the Khojaly Genocide ranks as the worst single atrocity of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, and one of the worst war crimes to be committed during the period since the end of the Second World War. It is a source of deep regret that the massacre was barely reported in the contemporary western media. Furthermore, the mastermind of the massacre was Serzh Sargsyan, who remained as Armenian President for many years and has never been prosecuted for his crimes. It is essential that the victims are never forgotten, as their legacy is reminding the world of the unresolved nature of the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani lands, the unimplemented four UN Security Resolutions passed against Armenia and the estimated one million Azerbaijani internally displaced persons and refugees who remain unable to return home due to lasting Armenian aggression."
Journalist Neil Watson also brought some clarity to classifying Khojaly whether as a massacre or genocide.
"For many years, my colleagues and I deliberated as to whether the Khojaly tragedy should be classified as a 'massacre' and not a 'genocide'. However, last year, one of the commemorations in London comprised a lecture during which a lawyer examined the evidence surrounding the tragedy. He found that it had all the main tenets of a planned genocide and that it should be categorised accordingly. In my view, it should be acknowledged internationally as a genocide."
by Elnur Enveroglu
Journalist and Editor-in-chief of Eurasia Diary
