Khojaly is a small city located in the currently occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. Situated between Khankendi and Esgeran, Khojaly is the second large settlement in Daghlyg Garabagh, populated by Azerbaijanis after Shusha. In 1990 Khojaly was given a status of town.

In February 1992, an unprecedented massacre was committed against the Azerbaijani population in the town of Khojaly. This bloody tragedy, which became known as the Khojaly genocide, involved the extermination or capture of the thousands of Azerbaijanis; the town was razed to the ground. Over the night from 25 to 26 February 1992 the Armenian armed forces with the help of the infantry guards regiment No. 366 of the former USSR implemented the seizure of Khojaly – a small town situated in the Nagorny Karabakh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan with the total area of 0.94 sq. km. and the population before the conflict of 23,757.

The inhabitants of Khojaly remained in the town before the tragic night (about 2500 people) tried to leave their houses after the beginning of the assault in the hope to find the way to the nearest place populated by the Azerbaijanis. But these plans have failed. Invaders destroyed Khojaly and with particular brutality implemented carnage over its peaceful population.

Brutal annihilation of hundreds of blameless inhabitants of Khojaly was one of the most heinous crimes during the armed conflict in and around the Nagorny Karabakh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Armenian armed forces and foreign military units spared virtually none of those who had been unable to flee Khojaly and the surrounding area. As a result, 613 persons were killed, including 106 women, 63 children and 70 elderly people. 1,275 inhabitants were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 persons remains unknown to this day. In the course of the tragedy 487 inhabitants of Khojaly were severely maimed, including 76 children not yet of age. 6 families were completely wiped out, 26 children lost both parents, and 130 children one of their parents. Of those who perished, 56 persons were killed with especial cruelty: by burning alive, scalping, beheading, gouging out of eyes, and bayoneting of pregnant women in the abdomen.

The Khojaly genocide ranked with the great tragedies of XX century like Khatyn, Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Songmi. This tragedy happened at the end of the century was not against only the people of Azerbaijan, but it is one of the gravest crimes against humanity. The international conventions adopted in the world, universal laws, repeatedly condemned tragedies like the tragedy of Khojaly genocide and stated its unacceptability.
Azerbaijan has taken decisive steps in many international organizations, parliaments of the world for international political and legal assessment of the military offense committed in the territory of the Azerbaijan – Khojaly by Republic of Armenia. Significant work has been done within the campaign “Justice for Khojaly” led by Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation to introduce the Khojaly genocide to the international community officially. Pakistan, Mexico and Colombia have recognized the Khojaly massacre as the act of genocide. Legislative bodies of the Czech Republic, the US states of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Maine, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Tennessee and Connecticut have adopted respective resolutions.
As a result of these efforts over 10 countries, as well as 20 U.S. states have recognized and condemned this massacre.

Victims of Khojaly Massacre:

According to official statistics, 613 civilians were killed as a result of assault on Khojaly, among them:
Children — 63,
Women — 106,
Elderly — 70,
Completely annihilated families – 8,
Children who lost both parents – 25,
Children who lost one parent – 130,
The number of the wounded is 487, including 76 children.
Number of persons taken hostage – 1275,
Civilians declared missing – 150*.
Despite the declared readiness of Armenian side to deliver the captives (women and children) of Khojaly to Azerbaijan, the reality was quite the opposite.
List of murdered children in Khojaly Genocide:

- Khatira Ali Orujova (8 years old), bullet broke up her shoulder,chest, lungs and ribs. Just by a miracle the girl stayed alive.
- Vusale Ilham Abdullayeva (4), due to freezing in the forest she had lost fingers of both legs.
- Chinara Nazim Abyshova (10), captured, her destiny is unknown.
- Vusal Sattar Agayev (10), killed by a bullet wound in forest of Ketik, it was impossible to take out his body from forest.
- Sevinj Isa Agayarova (7). left in forest of Dehraz together with her brothers Nabi and 6 years old Roman, nothing is known about their fate.
- Samir Tajir Jafarov (5), was captured by-Armenians, nothing is known about the child.
- Nezaket Tapdyg Chobanova (8), she was killed nearby Gara gaya.
- Sekhavet Tevekkul Alekperov (9), killed by bullet wound.
- Elgiz Firdovsi Aliyev (8) went missing together with his 10 years old brother Elchin.
- Elshan Abil Aliyev (5) was killed by fragment of missile “Alazan”.
- Yegana Maherram Aliyeva (year and a half) was shot by enemy.
- Yegana Tevekkul Aliyeva (6) was killed by Armenians in surroundings of Gara gaya.
- Natig Abbasgulu Azimov (6) was killed nearby village of Nakhchyvanik.
- Elgun Nazim Hasanov (4) was killed nearby to village of Nakhchyvanik.
- Aygun Nazim Hasanova (year and a half) was killed nearby to Nakhchyvanik.
- Maral Kamil Huseynova (6) was killed along the road to Nakhchyvanik.
- Lala Tahir Khalilova (4) was killed on the way out of Khojaly.
- Rasmiyye Aga Gasymova (11) went missing during the tragedy in Khojaly, her destiny is unknown.
- Esmira Safar Gambarova (7) was killed in Khojaly.
- Samir Taleh Guliyev (2), an Armenian officer crashed to death the head of a child by butt of a rifle.
- Nurana Garyagdy Guliyeva (13) went missing, her destiny is unknown.
- Ravana Garyagdy Guliyeva (16) went missing, her destiny is unknown.
- Shukur Garyagdy Guliyev (7) went missing, his destiny is unknown
- Sevinj Akber Guliyeva (8) was killed.
- Aysel Murad Mekhdiyeva (5) was killed along the road to Nakhchyvanik.
- Gulmira Murad Mekhdiyeva (3) was killed along the road to Nakhchyanik.
- Ayshen Zohrab Muradova (1) was killed by a fragment of missile shelled on the eve of Khojaly tragedy.
- Maral Kamil Nabiyeva (8) was killed in surroundings of Khojaly.
- Kheyale Telman Orujova (6) was killed nearby to village of Nakchyvanik.
- Natavan Nabi Orujova (2) was killed.
- Sarvan Elkhan Safiyev (1) got frozen to death in forest nearby to Nakhchyvanik.
- Antiga Vagif Shukurova (1) was killed in surroundings of Khojaly.
- Agasif Zakir Veliyev (6) was killed in surroundings of village of Nahchyvanik.
- Natavan Panah Yusifova (5) was killed in Khojaly.
- Aynura Tofig Zeynalova (6) was killed in the forest.