Kirovabad Unrest: Violence Spreads Across Azerbaijan
WarEcho Team news
Anti-Armenian violence erupts in Kirovabad (Ganja), Azerbaijan's second-largest city, forcing mass evacuations
Major anti-Armenian unrest erupted in Kirovabad (now Ganja), Azerbaijan’s second-largest city, forcing thousands of Armenians to flee and marking the spread of ethnic violence beyond Sumgait.
The Violence
Starting November 24, crowds attacked Armenian neighborhoods:
- Homes and businesses looted and burned
- Armenian residents beaten and threatened
- Soviet troops struggled to maintain order
- Violence lasted several days
Mass Evacuation
- Evacuees: Estimated 15,000-20,000 Armenians
- Method: Military helicopters and convoys
- Destination: Primarily to Armenia
- Property: Most abandoned permanently
Historical Context
Kirovabad (historic Ganja) had a significant Armenian population:
- Major cultural and economic center
- Centuries of Armenian presence
- Previously peaceful coexistence
- Now irreversibly changed
Wider Impact
The Kirovabad events:
- Accelerated Armenian exodus from Azerbaijan
- Triggered retaliatory actions against Azerbaijanis in Armenia
- Demonstrated spreading geography of conflict
- Marked point of no return for inter-ethnic relations
Soviet Authority Weakens
Despite military presence, authorities failed to prevent:
- Organized violence
- Mass displacement
- Breakdown of law and order
- Ethnic cleansing patterns
#kirovabad
#ganja
#ethnic-violence
#refugees