Agdaban massacre
Encyclopedia
Agdaban massacre was the killing and forced displacement of Azerbaijani civilians by Armenian forces in the village of Agdaban
on 8 April 1992 during the Nagorno-Karabakh War
.
The village of Agdaban was located on the right bank of the namesake river, 56 kilometers northeast of the administrative center
of Kalbajar Rayon. Prior to destruction, it consisted of 130 houses and had a population of 779 people.. Since the end of fighting in 1993, the area of the village, like the rest of Kalbajar Rayon, is under the control of Armenian forces.
According to Azerbaijani witness accounts, after the capture of a nearby village of Chapar
by Armenian forces, two Armenian reconnaissance soldiers caught by Azerbaijanis near Agdaban informed of the planned attack on the village. This information was dismissed by the local authorities. In the early morning hours, Armenian forces attacked the Azerbaijani hillside positions near Agdaban, killing 3 patrol soldiers, and proceeded to the village.
According to the Ministry of National Security of Azerbaijan
, 35 civilians were killed and 14 wounded in the attack by Armenian forces on Agdaban on April 8-9, 1992. Subsequent Armenian attacks on the village occurred on June 10 1992, killing 1 villager and wounding 15, on 31 July 1992, killing 4 and wounding 12 people. Other sources claim that overall 67 civilians were killed, among them 8 elder men, 2 children, 7 women, and 12 sustained severe bodily injuries in attacks on Agdaban.
The Agdaban massacre is considered one of the most horrible tragedies in Azerbaijan along with Khojaly Massacre
and Garadaghly Massacre
in Khojavend district
.
On 27 March 1993, an Armenian offensive to occupy Kelbajar started from Agdaban again. This time, the village was burned for the second time. Bashibel-Tunel was closed 3 days later which finally resulted in occupation of Kalbajar on April 3, 1993.
Agdaban
Ağdaban is a village in the Kalbajar Rayon of Azerbaijan....
on 8 April 1992 during the Nagorno-Karabakh War
Nagorno-Karabakh War
The Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...
.
The village of Agdaban was located on the right bank of the namesake river, 56 kilometers northeast of the administrative center
Kalbajar
]Kalbajar is a rayon of Azerbaijan. Kalbajar is a Kurdish name meaning Stone City. The entire region is now under the control of Armenian forces who call the western half Karvajar. The eastern half is part of Nagorno-Karabakh, making up part of the province of Martakert...
of Kalbajar Rayon. Prior to destruction, it consisted of 130 houses and had a population of 779 people.. Since the end of fighting in 1993, the area of the village, like the rest of Kalbajar Rayon, is under the control of Armenian forces.
Attack on the village
The attack on a military station near the village of Agdaban was initiated on the night of April 7, 1992 by an Armenian military force led by Leonid Azgaldyan.According to Azerbaijani witness accounts, after the capture of a nearby village of Chapar
Chapar, Azerbaijan
Chapar is a village in the Kalbajar Rayon of Azerbaijan....
by Armenian forces, two Armenian reconnaissance soldiers caught by Azerbaijanis near Agdaban informed of the planned attack on the village. This information was dismissed by the local authorities. In the early morning hours, Armenian forces attacked the Azerbaijani hillside positions near Agdaban, killing 3 patrol soldiers, and proceeded to the village.
According to the Ministry of National Security of Azerbaijan
Ministry of National Security of Azerbaijan
The Azerbaijan Ministry of National Security is an intelligence agency of the Azerbaijan government...
, 35 civilians were killed and 14 wounded in the attack by Armenian forces on Agdaban on April 8-9, 1992. Subsequent Armenian attacks on the village occurred on June 10 1992, killing 1 villager and wounding 15, on 31 July 1992, killing 4 and wounding 12 people. Other sources claim that overall 67 civilians were killed, among them 8 elder men, 2 children, 7 women, and 12 sustained severe bodily injuries in attacks on Agdaban.
Aftermath
On April 9, people gathered on the main square of Kelbajar. Refugees fleeing Agdaban massacre also reached the regional center. Joint decision lead to creation of "Relief Committee for Defense of Kelbajar". Contributions were gathered for strengthening of defense forces to defend Kelbajar from occupation. At the request of people of Kelbajar, General Zaur Rzayev was appointed the commandant of Kelbajar.The Agdaban massacre is considered one of the most horrible tragedies in Azerbaijan along with Khojaly Massacre
Khojaly Massacre
The Khojaly Massacre was the killing of hundreds of ethnic Azerbaijani civilians from the town of Khojaly on 25–26 February 1992 by the Armenian and Russian armed forces during the Nagorno-Karabakh War...
and Garadaghly Massacre
Garadaghly Massacre
Garadaghly Massacre , also known as Garadaghli Genocide, Garadaghli Massacre, Qaradaghli Massacre was the killing of 70-90 ethnic Azerbaijani civilians by Armenian troops in the village of Garadaghly on 17 February 1992 during the Nagorno-Karabakh War.-Overview:Garadaghly is a village in Khojavend...
in Khojavend district
Qaradagli, Khojavend
Qaradağlı is a village in the Khojavend Rayon of Azerbaijan....
.
On 27 March 1993, an Armenian offensive to occupy Kelbajar started from Agdaban again. This time, the village was burned for the second time. Bashibel-Tunel was closed 3 days later which finally resulted in occupation of Kalbajar on April 3, 1993.
External links
- Address of the refugees of Khojaly to the United Nations Organization, Council of Europe, and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, contains information to Agdaban massacre