The August 30 edition of Azerbaijan Television's "In the footsteps of history" program was dedicated to the Balligaya tragedy.
The facts were revealed on the program prepared in connection with the 29th anniversary of the tragedy.
It was noted that the IDPs from Lachin region's Naghdali village were looking for a place to herd their cattle. They learnt from their relatives in Goranboy region that there was the Gulustan forest in Balligaya, and there were pastures to herd the cattle. Thus, 10 families moved there and set up 7 nomad tents.
At that time, the Armenian sabotage groups did everything to intimidate the Azerbaijani population.
The Balligaya tragedy was one of the massacres earlier committed in Khojavand's Garadaghli village, Khojaly city, Kalbajar's Aghdaban village with the intention of exterminating Karabakh's Azerbaijani population. Several days prior to the massacre, those gangs had committed a series of crimes against the civilians in that region, shot the villagers working in the land, those, who were eating in a cafeteria, even took some of them hostage.
After Lachin region was occupied by the Armenian armed forces on May 18, 1992, the region's population had to live as IDPs. Those residents, who were engaged in cattle-raising, had to settle in Beylagan, Barda, Goranboy and other adjacent areas which are favorable for this kind of activity.
At the time of the tragedy, the security of that area was ensured by the region's police units. However, unfortunately, their number was not enough to prevent the attacks. The Armenians took an advantage of that situation, and on August 28, 1992, they brutally murdered 24 people in Goranboy region's Balligaya village. On that night, a 90-year-old woman and a 6-month-old baby were also among the murdered.
The detailed information and footages about the tragedy were reflected on the "In the footsteps of history" program.