The US state Arkansas has recognized the Armenian genocide against Azerbaijanis, becoming the fifth state to approve such a bill.
Members of the Turkish-American community have launched a campaign to thank the Arkansas House of Representatives for approving the bill.
Javid Huseynov , the director of Pax-Turcica (“Turkic Peace” in Latin) — which was established as a unified research and advocacy platform for all Turkic communities in the US — told the Anatolia news agency that the Arkansas House had approved a bill stating the Khojaly genocide was recognized by the body.
He said the move was made possible by the efforts of Turkish and Azerbaijani communities and they would continue to work to spread that success to other states.
Azerbaijani authorities say 613 Azerbaijanis were brutally killed and hundreds left missing when Armenian troops stormed the village of Khojaly on Feb. 26, 1992. The attack appalled Azerbaijanis and became a symbol of Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan.
Armenians have not denied the attack, but insist the death toll is exaggerated. Turkey and Azerbaijan have called for world recognition of the killings as a crime against humanity.
On Feb. 8 the Arkansas House of Representatives adopted resolution HR 1004 commemorating the 21st anniversary of the Khojaly Massacre, making Arkansas the fifth US state recognizing Khojaly Genocide following Massachusetts, Texas, Georgia and New Mexico.
