Today, on April 18, Azerbaijan commemorates the 33rd anniversary of the Bashlibel massacre committed by Armenian militants, The Caspian Post reports.

Thirty-three years have passed since the massacre committed by Armenian militants on April 18, 1993, in the Bashlibel village of Azerbaijan's Kalbajar district, News.Az reports.

During the occupation of the Kalbajar district in early April 1993, 73 residents of Bashlibel village, which had a population of nearly 2,000, were unable to leave their homes. On April 2, Armenian forces killed nine people while they were trying to escape the blockade and took five people hostage. The remaining 62 people retreated to the mountains and hid in caves.

On April 18, after discovering the residents' locations, Armenian servicemen attacked the caves, killing 18 more people and taking 14 people hostage. The 30 survivors remained under siege for 113 days. Finally, on July 17, they were able to escape the blockade by moving only at night through mountain paths.

Kalbajar district was liberated from occupation as a result of the 44-day Patriotic War - on November 25, 2020.