Baku, January 21 (AZERTAC). Morocco`s Al-Alam newspaper has posted an article highlighting the 20 January events.

The article says the 20th January 2014 marks the 24th anniversary of the Black January tragedy, military invasion and indiscriminate killing of civilians in the city of Baku by the Soviet troops on 19-20 January 1990.

The author notes that in response to the rising national independence movement, the Soviet leadership ordered some 26,000 troops equipped with heavy military equipment, including tanks to storm the city of Baku. The heavy-handed crackdown resulted in indiscriminate killing of some 147 civilians with more than 700 injured and many others went missing. During the tragedy the courageous sons of the Azerbaijani people who stood up for the motherland`s dignity, honor and freedom became martyrs.

The article underlines that only after national leader Heydar Aliyev`s return to power at the persistent request of the people legal and political assessment to 20 January tragedy was given, reasons of this serious crime perpetrated against the Azerbaijan people were investigated and the names of the criminals were announced.

The day the tragedy took place later came to be known as Black January or Black Saturday, widely commemorated in Azerbaijan and by Azerbaijani communities around the world. Every year, hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis visit the Alley of Martyrs, where the victims of Black January lay buried, to pay respects to the victims. 20th January is a National Mourning Day in Azerbaijan with nationwide commemorations taking place and the national flag flying at half-mast over the public buildings and diplomatic missions abroad. Though it was a tragic and sad day, the 20th January events are also considered a milestone on the road to Azerbaijan`s independence from the Soviet Union. It weakened the Soviet rule in Azerbaijan and led to the regaining of independence of Azerbaijan on 18 October 1991.

The newspaper also highlights Armenia`s ethnic cleansing policy and territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Taking advantage of difficulties Azerbaijan faced in first years of independence, Armenia occupied the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. As a result, over one million people turned into refugees and IDPs. Armenians destroyed mosques, schools and historical monuments in Azerbaijan`s lands.

The author also points out that resolutions and decisions of international organizations support the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan and call for the unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijan`s occupied territories.