Khojali (city)
Coordinates: 39°54′40″N 46°47′21″E / 39.91111°N 46.78917°E
| Khojali | |
|---|---|
 Khojali
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| Coordinates: 39°54′40″N 46°47′21″E / 39.91111°N 46.78917°E | |
| Country |  Azerbaijan (de jure) |
| Rayon Province |
Khojali Askeran |
| Population (2005) | |
| • Total | 908 |
| Time zone | UTC (UTC+4) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC (UTC+5) |
Khojali (Azerbaijani: Xocalı) or Ivanyan (also Ivanian Armenian: Իվանյան), also, Ay-Khodzhaly, Khodgalou, Khodzhalv, Khodzhaly, Khojalu, and Khozhali, is a town in Nagorno-Karabakh, located some 10 km northeast of its capital Stepanakert. Internationally, it is still considered a de-jure part of Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijan counts it as the capital of its Khojali Rayon.
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[edit] History
During the Soviet period, Khojali was a village in the Askeran rayon of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast. As the Karabakh conflict started, the Azerbaijani government began to implement a plan to create a new district center. From 1988 to 1990 the population of Khojali increased from 2135 to 6000 residents, mostly consisting of immigrants from Central Asia (including more than 2000 Meskhetian Turks) and Armenia (about 2000). In April 1990 Azerbaijan abolished the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast and its existing internal divisions. Khojali received city status, becoming a regional center for the newly created Khojali Rayon composed of the former Askeran rayon and part of Martuni.
During the Nagorno-Karabakh War, Khojaly was captured by ethnic Armenian forces on the 26th February 1992. The name became internationally notable after the Khojaly Massacre of February 1992.
In 2001 the Armenians renamed the city into Ivanian after the late general of the Karabakh Defense Army, Kristapor Ivanian.[1]
[edit] Sister cities
In 2010, representatives of the Azeri administration of Khojaly in exile and of the Czech town of Lidice signed an agreement on partnership making Khojaly and Lidice sister cities.[2][3][4]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Hrant Aleksanian: Karabakh Marks Ten Years Of ‘Independence’. azatutyun.am, 01.09.2001
- ^ "Khojali to be twinned with Czech Lidice". Trend News Agency. 2010-02-22. http://en.trend.az/news/karabakh/1643116.html. Retrieved 2010-02-22.
- ^ "A street in Lidice, Czechia to be named after Khojaly". Azerbaijan Press Agency. 2010-02-22. http://en.apa.az/news.php?id=115717. Retrieved 2010-02-22.
- ^ Asya Chekanova (2010-03-09). "Лидице стали побратимами Ходжалы. Армения против [Lidice twinned with Khojaly. Armenia is against]". Český Rozhlas. http://www.radio.cz/ru/statja/125788. Retrieved 2010-02-29.
[edit] External links
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