Azernews.Az

Akbar Novruz

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The ongoing trial at the Baku Military Court has focused on the events preceding the occupation of Shusha, with prosecutors presenting documents that shed light on the military aggression by Armenian forces, Azernews reports.

According to the state prosecutors, Shusha and its surrounding villages were repeatedly attacked by the Armenian armed forces using rockets and artillery before the city's occupation. These attacks resulted in numerous Azerbaijani casualties, including those killed, injured, or taken hostage. Armenian forces also targeted civilian infrastructure, including water pipelines in Azerbaijani-inhabited villages, and caused significant damage to schools, hospitals, and homes. Criminal cases were initiated at the time concerning these incidents.

Among the key events reviewed in court were the Malibeyli and Gushchular massacres. Additionally, a protocol examined during the trial detailed an attack on a helicopter on April 4, 1991, when the Armenian forces fired upon a helicopter carrying Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet deputies during its flight near Goytala village. The helicopter, damaged by gunfire, was forced to make an emergency landing, resulting in injuries to some passengers.

Another protocol highlighted the shooting down of a passenger helicopter on January 28, 1992. The helicopter, an "MI-8T" belonging to AZALPANX, was shot down by Armenian forces from the village of Karkijahan, Khankendi city, while flying from Aghdam to Shusha. The crash, which occurred near the village of Gaybali, killed 42 people, including 39 passengers and 3 crew members. The wreckage and the victims' remains were found burnt and dismembered after the explosion.

The trial is ongoing, with charges against Armenian citizens for crimes including war crimes, genocide, and terrorism, stemming from the military aggression against Azerbaijan.