Azerbaijan commemorates the anniversary of 20th January tragedy - UPDATE - PHOTOS

15:30

The Azerbaijan people is commemorates the victims of the tragedy of 20 January, 1990.

The people has visited the Martyrs' Lane in Baku since early hours, paying tribute to the innocent victims.

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15:30

The Soviet Army started its military operations against Azerbaijan early morning Jan. 20, 1990 before declaring a state of emergency. This tragedy took the lives of 131 people, including 117 Azerbaijanis, 6 Russians, 3 Jews and 3 Tatars. Some 744 people were severely injured. Four went missing and 400 were arrested. 21 people were killed after a state of emergency was declared on Jan. 20. 26 people were killed in the Neftchala and Lankaran regions of Azerbaijan.

The Soviet military operations resulted in an unprecedented tragedy as the valiant sons and daughters of Azerbaijan sacrificed their lives to place our freedom, honor and dignity above everything else.

Jan. 20, 1990 was a heroic page in the history of Azerbaijan's struggle for freedom and territorial integrity.

The tragedy affected the lives of thousands of innocent Azerbaijanis and demonstrated our inexorable spirit and pride as we fought against the Soviet policies that restricted our freedom. We achieved the independence that we had dreamed of for so many years.

Since the tragedy, Azerbaijan commemorates Jan. 20 every year.

/Azerbaijan.az, AzerTAc/

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Photos by Trend