Ethnic Clashes Erupt in Khankendi/Stepanakert
WarEcho Team news
Violent clashes between Armenians and Azerbaijanis in Nagorno-Karabakh's capital mark spread of conflict to the disputed region
Serious ethnic clashes erupted in Khankendi (Stepanakert), the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh, as tensions between Armenian and Azerbaijani communities reached a breaking point.
The Clashes
Violence broke out when Azerbaijani refugees from Armenia arrived in the city, leading to:
- Street battles between ethnic groups
- Attacks on homes and businesses
- Use of firearms and improvised weapons
- Deployment of Soviet Interior Ministry troops
Dual Names, Divided City
The city itself became a symbol of the conflict:
- Stepanakert: Armenian name honoring Bolshevik Stepan Shaumyan
- Khankendi: Azerbaijani name meaning “Khan’s village”
- Population increasingly segregated along ethnic lines
Soviet Response
Moscow imposed emergency measures:
- Curfew established
- Additional troops deployed
- Weapons confiscated
- Special administration appointed
Escalation Pattern
These clashes demonstrated:
- Conflict spreading from periphery to core disputed territory
- Breakdown of inter-ethnic coexistence
- Ineffectiveness of Soviet peacekeeping efforts
- Emergence of armed self-defense groups
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