Azerbaijan is today marking the anniversary of the events on 20 January 1990 when Soviet troops entered Baku and attacked unarmed civilians protesting against Soviet rule. The day is commemorated as a day of national mourning. Hundreds of people died in the incidents, but the exact number remains uncertain. The Soviet Army entered Baku after a state of emergency was declared in response to popular protests demanding independence of Azerbaijan from the USSR.
President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva visited the Alley of Martyrs and laid a wreath at the Eternal Flame memorial.
State and government officials, leaders of religious communities, ambassadors of foreign countries and representatives of international organizations functioning in Azerbaijan also attended the commemoration ceremony.
source: commonspace.eu
photo: President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan leads dignitaries in a ceremony to mark the anniversary of the massacre of civilians by Soviet troops in Baku on 20 January 1990.
