Ankara condemns Khojaly massacre on 32nd anniversary

Türkiye has issued a strong condemnation of the Khojaly massacre committed by Armenian forces in 1992 in Azerbaijan's then-occupied region of Karabakh.

In a statement released by the Foreign Ministry, Ankara expressed profound sorrow over the massacre of innocent civilians, describing the incident as a "dark stain on the history of humanity."

"We strongly condemn the massacre of innocent civilians by Armenian armed forces in Khojaly, Azerbaijan on Feb. 26, 1992," read the statement.

The massacre, considered one of the deadliest episodes in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed upper Karabakh region, resulted in the loss of 613 Azerbaijani lives, including 116 women and 63 children. Additionally, 487 individuals sustained critical injuries during the two-hour Armenian offensive.

"We still feel the pain of our 613 brothers and sisters who were killed in Khojaly, and all Azerbaijanis wounded, captured or went missing on that day in our hearts," the statement continued.

According to Azerbaijani authorities, 150 of the 1,275 individuals captured by Armenian forces during the massacre remain missing.

Ankara extended condolences to the Azerbaijani people and invoked divine mercy for those who lost their lives in the massacre.