BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 19. The Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan has issued a statement on the 35th
anniversary of the January 20 tragedy, Trend 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

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.