Azerbaijan pays tribute to memory of victims of March 1918

Azerbaijan marks the day of March 31 as "Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis". The day is to remind the people of the events of late March 1918, when, according to the Azerbaijani version of the events, the armed formations of the Armenian nationalist "Dashnaktsutyun" Party, with the support of Bolshevik leaders of the Baku Council led by Stepan Shaumyan, committed massacres and pogroms among peaceful Azerbaijani civilians.

In March and April 1918, operations were held under the slogan of "struggle against counter-revolution." During several days, in Baku and its vicinity, thousands of people were killed, and mosques, schools, and historical monuments were destroyed.

According to historians, during several days, about 12,000 Muslims were killed in Baku. During April, the massacres continued in other regions of Azerbaijan. In total, more than 30,000 people were killed.

The reason for the reprisal raids against the Azerbaijani population was the desire of Bolsheviks to prevent the proclamation of the independence of Azerbaijan, as well as the desire to maintain control over the Baku oil, experts believe.

People pay tribute to memory of victims of the events of March 1918 by holding mourning events across the country. Every year, on March 31, in Baku, Azerbaijani officials, public activists and members of the foreign diplomatic corps, as well as residents of the Azerbaijani capital take part in a march to Alley of Fallen Heroes. On March 31, mosques of Azerbaijan hold ceremonies to pay tribute to memory of victims of the events of March 1918.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.