Baku: Reflecting on the 34th anniversary of the Khojaly massacre, February 26th marks a significant date in Azerbaijan's history as it commemorates the fall of Khojaly during the First Karabakh War in 1992. This event remains the largest single massacre of the conflict, with official figures reporting 613 civilians killed, including 106 women, 63 children, and 70 elderly individuals. Additionally, hundreds were injured, more than a thousand were taken hostage, and some remain missing. These events have become a defining moment in Azerbaijan's modern history, shaping national memory and reinforcing a determination to restore territorial integrity.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, for nearly three decades, Khojaly has symbolized loss and grievance within Azerbaijani society, influencing the nation's understanding of security and sovereignty. The outbreak of the Second Karabakh War in 2020 saw the legacy of the early 1990s remain central to public discourse and political decision-making. Despite provocations, Azerbaijan refrained from targeting Armenian civilians, a choice that became significant during peace negotiations in 2025.
In August 2025, in Washington, President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, with mediation by President Donald Trump, signed a Joint Declaration on Future Relations. This agreement committed both sides to work toward a comprehensive peace treaty consistent with the UN Charter. The ability to engage in negotiations was influenced by Azerbaijan's decision not to engage in civilian reprisals during the 2020 conflict.
The connection between Khojaly and the 2025 declaration is substantive. Historical examples, such as the Balkans in the 1990s and parts of the Middle East, show that attacks on civilians complicate peace efforts. In contrast, the Armenian-Azerbaijani experience demonstrates a different trajectory, where restraint in military operations has facilitated a structured peace process.
The broader lesson from this conflict extends beyond the South Caucasus. While targeting civilians might offer short-term gains, it undermines durable peace. The Armenia-Azerbaijan peace framework illustrates that avoiding new atrocities makes post-conflict diplomacy viable, highlighting that civilian protection is crucial for lasting peace.
On the 34th anniversary of Khojaly, the events of 1992 continue to shape Azerbaijan's national consciousness. However, the developments of 2020 and the 2025 declaration indicate that the trajectory of a conflict is not predetermined by its darkest moments. For regions trapped in retaliation cycles, the case of Armenia and Azerbaijan shows that civilian protection is a humanitarian and strategic prerequisite for peace.