Türkiye marks 34th anniversary of Khojaly Massacre, condemns 'shameful stain on humanity'

Türkiye on Thursday commemorated the 34th anniversary of the Khojaly Massacre, the mass killing of Azerbaijani civilians by Armenian forces in 1992 in the Karabakh region. The Foreign Ministry issued a statement strongly condemning "the massacre perpetrated against innocent civilians on 26 February 1992 in the town of Khojaly."

Ministry Statement

"The atrocities committed in Khojaly remain a shameful stain on the conscience of humanity. The pain of our 613 brothers and sisters who were brutally killed, as well as those who were wounded, taken captive, and went missing, still weighs heavy on our hearts," the ministry said. "We wish Allah's mercy upon our brothers and sisters who lost their lives during the Khojaly Massacre, and extend our condolences to the people of Azerbaijan."

Historical Context

On Feb. 26, 1992, following the Soviet Union's dissolution, Armenian forces attacked Khojaly with heavy artillery and tanks, killing 613 Azerbaijani civilians—including 106 women, 63 children, and 70 elderly—and seriously wounding 487 others. Of 1,275 Azerbaijanis captured, 150 remain missing to this day, with eight families completely wiped out. The Karabakh region witnessed mass killings during the First Karabakh War, when Armenian forces occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. In 2020, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and villages during 44 days of fighting, and established full sovereignty in September 2023 following an anti-terrorist operation. Türkiye was among the first countries to recognize the Khojaly incident as a massacre and continues to call for justice.