Azernews.Az

By Jamila Babayeva

U.S. congressman Ed Pastor made ​​a statement at the Congress on the 24th anniversary of January 20 tragedy in Azerbaijan.

The tragedy of January 20 could not break the will of Azerbaijani people to fight for independence, which culminated in the announcement of 18 October 1991 the independence of Azerbaijan, he said on January 28.

Pastor noted that Azerbaijan has always had a special will for independence. He underlined that in the first independent Republic of Azerbaijan founded in 1918, women were granted the right to vote.

Late at night on January 20, 1990, some 26,000 Soviet special forces called "Alfa" entered Baku without declaring a state of emergency and committed atrocities against the innocent Azerbaijani people. The invasion was launched at midnight and was committed with brutality; even children, women and the elderly were not spared.

In total, some 133 people were killed, 611 wounded, 841 illegally arrested and five went missing as a result of the intrusion of troops into Baku and other regions of the republic.

January 20, 1990 entered into the modern history of Azerbaijan as one of the most tragic days, and at the same time as a heroic page.