Azerbaijan has been commemorating the infamous Khojaly massacre this week, marking the 22nd anniversary since Armenian troops slaughtered 613 Azeri civilians during the Nagorno-Karabkh war, which began upon the fall of the Soviet Union in 1988 and continued until 1994. After Armenian forces captured the town of Hankendi, they turned their sights to Khojaly, which hosted the only airport in the region. By the end of 1991, the area of Khojaly was placed under an Armenian blockade, cutting off its 11,356 Azeri residents off from the world.
As the roads out of Khojaly were blocked, the residents attempted to leave via helicopter. However, on January 28, Armenians shot down a helicopter carrying civilians, killing 44 people including women and children. A month later, on February 25-26 1992, reportedly with help of the Russian 366th Motor Rifle Regiment, Armenians entered the town, killing 613 Azeris, including 106 women and 83 children. 487 were seriously injured during the massacre, while another 275 were taken prisoner, of whom 150 were never heard of again. On top of that, many women were raped.