BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 19. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan has issued a statement on the 35th anniversary of the January 20 tragedy, TurkicWorld reports.
"20 January 1990, constitutes one of the most tragic, yet dignified and proud pages in the modern history of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
36 years ago, as a result of the ruthless aggression carried out by the Soviet army against the civilian population in Baku and other regions of Azerbaijan, 150 civilians were killed, 744 people were seriously injured, and 4 people went missing.
The tragedy of 20 January was an attempt to suppress the legitimate aspirations of the Azerbaijani people for freedom, national dignity, and sovereignty.
However, this act of violence could not break the will of the Azerbaijani people. On the contrary, it has further strengthened the determination of our nation to restore independence, fight against mass deportations and occupation policies by Armenia, and fully exercise its sovereign rights. The sacrifice of the martyrs of 20 January played a fundamental role in restoring the independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 1991.
The patriotism, unity, and spirit of resistance demonstrated by the Azerbaijani people on 20 January fulfilled its historical mission in the 44-day Patriotic War of 2020 and during the antiterror operations of 2023. Under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, the glorious Azerbaijani army liberated our territories from occupation and restored the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country in accordance with international law.
Our Glorious Victory and the new realities established by Azerbaijan in the region in the subsequent period, the promoted peace and security agenda, the large-scale restoration and construction activities, and the return of former internally displaced persons to their ancestral lands are triumph of unwavering will and determination of our people, including the ideals fought for by the martyrs of 20 January and all our heroes who sacrificed their lives for the Motherland.
On this mournful and at the same time proud day, we honor the memory of all our martyrs and heroes of 20 January, who gave their lives for the independence, territorial integrity, and sovereignty of our country, and we express our deep condolences to their loved ones. We wish good health to all our citizens who sacrificed their health on this glorious path.
We once again declare our determination to continue consistent efforts and resolute measures to prevent the recurrence of crimes against humanity and international law, such as those committed against our people on 20 January", the statement reads.
