Azernews.Az

An event marking the 25th anniversary of the 20 January tragedy has been held at Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Dubai.

Participants of the event observed a minute`s silence for the Black January victims, AzerTag state news agency reported.

Speaking at the commemorative ceremony, Consul General Parviz Ismayilzade highlighted the events that happened on January 20, 1990 when the Soviet troops stormed Baku to commit a massacre against civilian Azerbaijanis, who took to the streets for their independence and territorial integrity.

The event featured demonstration of "20 January" film.

Representatives of SOCAR, Azerbaijan Airlines, International Bank of Azerbaijan, members of the Azerbaijani diaspora in the United Arab Emirates, and local media attended the event.

The tragic events of January 19-20, 1990 mark a turning point in the history of Azerbaijan's independence from the Soviet Union.

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.

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