Every year Azerbaijanis around the world mark July 23 as a day of sorrow for loss of Azerbaijani town of Agdam to occupying Armenian army. In early 1988, Armenian nationalists in Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast of Azerbaijan (NKAO), backed by Armenian Republic started mass exodus of ethnic Azerbaijanis from their ancestral homes demanding transfer of Nagorno-Karabakh from Azerbaijan to Armenia. By mid 1993, after complete ethnic cleansing of Azerbaijanis from Nagorno Karabakh and massacres in Khojaly, Shusha and Kelbajar regions, Armenian forces advanced on the heartland Azerbaijan by engaging a heavy warfare on the region of Agdam northeast of former NKAO.
Agdam is one of the ancient regions of Azerbaijan with a territory of 1,094 sq km and population of 153,000 people. As a result of Armenian attack, the provincial capital Agdam along with 80 villages constituting 882 sq km were occupied. 128,000 out of 153,000 residents of Agdam fled becoming a part of 1 million refugee camp of Azerbaijan.
Occupation of Agdam by Armenian forces caused material destruction equaling $6.179 billion. 5,897 ethnic Azerbaijanis died in Agdam during the days of occupation.
After fall of Agdam, Armenians would continue illegal occupation of Azerbaijani territories and in the following four months take over regions of Gubadli, Zagilan, Jabrayil, Fizuli.
In April – November 1993, the UN Security Council adopted four resolutions 822, 853, 874, 884 calling for immediate withdrawal of Armenian forces, allowing the return of Azerbaijani refugees [1]. On March 14, 2008, the UN General Assembly reiterated its position on territorial integrity of Azerbaijan: resolution A/62/L.42 called for immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian forces “from all the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan.” [2]. Armenia is yet to comply.
According to U.S. Refugee Committee’s report (2000) on Nagorno Karabakh conflict, “More than 568,000 persons from western regions of Azerbaijan under Armenian occupation since 1993, including 42,072 from Nagorno-Karabakh, remained displaced within the country. Most were displaced from regions just outside Nagorno Karabakh,including Fizuli (133,725 persons), Agdam (128,584), Lachin (63,007),Kelbadjar (59,274), Jabrayil (58,834), Gubadli (31,276), Zangilan (34,797), Terter (5,171) and Adjabedi (3,358).”
As a member of Azerbaijani-American community, I urge you and the US government to be proactive is exerting pressure on Armenia to take a constructive stance, force it to comply with UN SC and GA resolutions, withdraw from internationally recognized Azerbaijani territories and allow return of Azerbaijani refugees to their homes.
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