Turkey strongly condemns perpetrators of Khojaly genocide

Armenia should first of all leave the occupied lands of Azerbaijan so that peace can be established in the South Caucasus, Turkish Parliament Speaker, Cemil Cicek said in a statement dedicated to the 22nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, according to the Sondakika online newspaper.

Cicek said that Armenia committed the 20th century's greatest genocide in Nagorno-Karabakh.

"Over 600 civilians were killed and hundreds of Azerbaijani Turks were separated from their homes 22 years ago as a result of Armenia's genocide policy," Cicek stressed.

The Turkish parliament speaker also noted that Turkey strongly condemns the perpetrators of the Khojaly genocide.

On February 25-26, 1992 Armenian occupation forces together with the 366th infantry regiment of Soviet troops stationed at Khankendi, committed an act of genocide against the population of the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly.

Some 613 people were killed, including 63 children, 106 women and 70 old people. A total of 1000 civilians were disabled during the genocide.

Eight families were totally annihilated, 130 children lost one parent and 25 children lost both.

Some 1275 innocent residents were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 people remains unknown.


/Trend/