Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

The international organizations have condemned the Khojaly massacre, a ruthless crime committed by the Armenian armed forces against innocent civilians in 1992.

Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), Othman Abdulaziz Altwaijri has called on the international community to condemn odious racist crime committed by Armenia against humanity in Khojaly village of Azerbaijan, according to a message posted on ISESCO website.

Late into the night from February 25 to 26, 1992, the town of Khojaly, situated within the administrative borders of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, came under intensive fire from the towns of Khankendi and Askeran, already occupied by Armenian armed forces. The Armenian armed forces, supported by the ex-Soviet 366th regiment, completed the surrounding of the town already isolated due to ethnic cleansing of the Azerbaijani population of the neighboring regions.

As many as 613 civilians mostly women and children were killed in the massacre, and a total of 1,000 people were disabled. Eight families were exterminated, 25 children lost both parents, and 130 children lost one parent.

Moreover, 1,275 innocent people were taken hostage, and the fate of 150 of them remains unknown. Civilians were shot at close range, scalped, and burned alive. Some had their eyes gouged out and others were beheaded.

Altwaijri said the World War II tragedies, atrocities and crimes against humanity were repeated in 1992 in the village of Khojaly and across the villages and towns of Karabakh, which is a territory of Azerbaijan, and consequently an integral part of the Islamic world.

He maintained that the failure of the United Nations and its Security Council to put an end to the Armenian occupation of Karabakh, despite the Council's four resolutions calling for Armenia's immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory, is at odds with the UN Charter, the principles of human rights, and with the moral values preached by all heavenly religions.

Altwaijri launched an appeal to the international community to take action towards an immediate withdrawal of Armenia from Azerbaijan's territories, in such a way as to maintain peace and security in this important region of the world.

Secretary-General of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Iyad bin Amin Madani also honored the victims of the Khojaly genocide, who died as a result of the atrocities of the Armenian military.

Madani has said the occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia has led to the Khojaly genocide.

He also referred to the resolution adopted during the 40th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers held in Guinea's capital city Conakry in 2013 and recognizing the massacre committed against the Azerbaijani population of the country's occupied territories, as a crime against humanity.

Madani further reaffirmed that the OIC fully supports Azerbaijan's initiatives and efforts to put an end to the occupation of its territories and restore the territorial integrity.

He also expressed his deep condolences to the people of Azerbaijan who lost their loved ones in the Khojaly massacre.

The parliaments of several countries and the U.S. states have passed the resolutions recognizing the Khojaly genocide. The parliaments of Pakistan, Mexico, Colombia, Romania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Honduras, Czech Republic, Jordan, as well as legislative bodies of about 20 states of the Unites States, including Texas, New-Mexico, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Western Virginia, New-Jersey and Tennessee have adopted relevant documents.