28th anniversary of Khojaly genocide was commemorated in the Netherlands in a series of events

28th anniversary of Khojaly genocide was commemorated in the Hague in a series of events organized by Azerbaijani and Turkish diaspora organizations and the Embassy of Azerbaijan to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

On the night of 25 – 26 February 1992 Khojaly suffered massive artillery bombardment from the positions occupied by the Armenian forces. Soon after the intensive shelling, the Armenian armed forces, including the irregular armed bands and terrorist groups, as well as 366^th Motorized Infantry Regiment of the former USSR, seized the town. Under heavy condition of frosty weather and in the dark, several thousands of civilian residents fled the town and found refuge in nearby forests and mountain terrains, only to be eventually trapped and ambushed by Armenian forces and militia.

What happened in Khojaly amounts to genocide of ethnic Azerbaijanis residing in the town and annihilation of an entire town. As a result of this violent attack, 613 civilians were murdered, including 106 women and 63 children. 1,275 Khojaly residents were taken hostage, while 150 people still remain missing. In the course of the genocide, 487 inhabitants of Khojaly were severely dismembered, including 76 children. 6 families were completely wiped out, 26 children lost both parents and 130 children lost one of their parents. Many people were murdered with particular cruelty: most were slaughtered, some were burned alive, beheaded, some were mutilated and some were scalped.