Today is the 22nd anniversary of occupation of Azerbaijan’s Khankendi city and Kerkijahan settlement, which has significant strategic importance for surrounding areas, APA reports.
By the capture of the Kerkijahan settlement on 28 December 1991, occupation of Khankendi completed. Before the occupation, defense of Kerkijahan was provided by self-defense units formed from the local villagers, the newly established group of military police and the National Army.
As a result of Armenians’ attack with military vehicles and heavy weapons defending the Kerkijahan had to retreat. Thanks to the self-defense units while managed to contain the offensive Armenians managed to get out of the population of Kerkijahan settlement.
Before the occupation of the village population was 1,796 people, 380 households. In Kerkijahan destroyed two high schools, a kindergarten, library, club, ATC, 10 shops, a clinic, 15 manufacturing plants and other objects of everyday life.
As the result of the occupation of Kerkijahan by the Armenian armed groups, 34 of 1796 habitants of the village were killed including 3 women and 2 babies, more than 150 persons were wounded in different levels.
God bless all the martyrs!