Khojaly Massacre: A night humanity lost in Karabakh War

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

KHOJALY, AZERBAIJAN — On the night of February 25-26, 1992, during the height of the Nagorno-Karabakh War, hundreds of Azerbaijani civilians, including women, children, and the elderly, lost their lives while attempting to flee the besieged city of Khojaly.

The tragedy occurred as civilians tried to escape the Armenian blockade toward the city of Agdam through the last remaining exit. While many were killed by gunfire, others succumbed to freezing temperatures during the escape. This event, taking place as the final Soviet troops were withdrawing from the region, remains one of the most harrowing chapters of the conflict and has led to a total demographic shift where no Azerbaijanis remain in Armenia and no Armenians remain in Azerbaijan.

Discrepancies in Fatality Reports

International human rights organizations and official state sources provide significantly different figures regarding the death toll from that night.

• Human Rights Watch: The New York-based organization reported in its findings that at least 161 civilians were killed.

  
  

• Azerbaijani Official Sources: Official records from Azerbaijan cited in reports place the number of fatalities much higher, at approximately 800.

  
  

Armenia continues to deny the nature of the event as described by these reports and disputes the casualty figures provided by Azerbaijani authorities.

Long-term Impact on Regional Stability

The massacre has left a lasting legacy of distrust that continues to influence modern diplomatic and infrastructure projects in the Caucasus. Arzu Geybullah, a journalist, and Alexander Iskanderyan, Director of the Caucasus Institute, note that the atmosphere created by the massacre deeply affected the region's demographic future.

Current tensions are further exacerbated by projects such as the Zengezur Corridor. While intended to be completed within four years, the project remains a point of contention between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Meanwhile, Iran has expressed firm opposition to the project, stating that redrawing the borders of its neighbors is a "red line" for Tehran.

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