Alif Hajiyev
Encyclopedia
Alif Haciyev Latif oglu (June 24, 1953, Khojaly
, NKAO, Azerbaijan
- February 26, 1992, Khojaly, Azerbaijan
) was an Azerbaijani
officer
, Commandant
of Khojaly Airport
and National Hero of Azerbaijan.
.
From 1971 through 1973, Hajiyev served in Soviet Armed Forces
and was stationed in Minsk
, Belarus
. In 1974–84, he held various positions in Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belorussian SSR and militia
of NKAO of Azerbaijan SSR
.
In December 1990, Alif Hajiyev was appointed head of administration and commandant
of Khojaly airport. In December 1991, Hajiyev was promoted to a rank of major
.
. That's where the mass killing of Azerbaijani civilians by Armenian militants occurred in the early morning hours of February 26 which became known as Khojaly Massacre
.
, Baku.
.
Khojali (city)
Khojali or Ivanyan , also, Ay-Khodzhaly, Khodgalou, Khodzhalv, Khodzhaly, Khojalu, and Khozhali, is a town in Nagorno Karabakh, located some 10 km northeast of its capital Stepanakert...
, NKAO, Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
- February 26, 1992, Khojaly, Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
) was an Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani people
The Azerbaijanis are a Turkic-speaking people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as in the neighbourhood states, Georgia, Russia and formerly Armenia. Commonly referred to as Azeris or Azerbaijani Turks , they also live in a wider area from the Caucasus to...
officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
, Commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
of Khojaly Airport
Stepanakert Air Base
Stepanakert Airport |Khojaly]], near Stepanakert, the capital city of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic , a de facto independent republic which territory is de-jure recognized as a part of Azerbaijan. The airport has been under the control of the NKR since the ceasefire agreement of the...
and National Hero of Azerbaijan.
Early years
Alif Hajiyev was born on June 24, 1953 in KhojalyKhojali (city)
Khojali or Ivanyan , also, Ay-Khodzhaly, Khodgalou, Khodzhalv, Khodzhaly, Khojalu, and Khozhali, is a town in Nagorno Karabakh, located some 10 km northeast of its capital Stepanakert...
.
From 1971 through 1973, Hajiyev served in Soviet Armed Forces
Soviet Army
The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...
and was stationed in Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
. In 1974–84, he held various positions in Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belorussian SSR and militia
Militsiya
Militsiya or militia is used as an official name of the civilian police in several former communist states, despite its original military connotation...
of NKAO of Azerbaijan SSR
Azerbaijan SSR
The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Azerbaijan SSR for short, was one of the republics that made up the former Soviet Union....
.
In December 1990, Alif Hajiyev was appointed head of administration and commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
of Khojaly airport. In December 1991, Hajiyev was promoted to a rank of major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
.
Khojaly Massacre
Alif Hajiyev helped the completely surrounded town survive for a few month with no gas and electricity, limited supply of food. When the Armenian offensive from three sides started on February 25, Alef gave an order to evacuate the town. The few defenders along with Hajiyev escorted the crowd of civilians along the Gorgor river valley overnight to the open plain near the village Nakhichevanli, just six miles away from Azerbaijani positions in Shelli village of AgdamAgdam
Agdam or Ağdam or Aghdam may refer to:*Agdam city, Azerbaijan*Agdam Rayon, Azerbaijan*Ağdam, Khojavend, Azerbaijan*Ağdam, Tovuz, Azerbaijan...
. That's where the mass killing of Azerbaijani civilians by Armenian militants occurred in the early morning hours of February 26 which became known as Khojaly Massacre
Khojaly Massacre
The Khojaly Massacre was the killing of hundreds of ethnic Azerbaijani civilians from the town of Khojaly on 25–26 February 1992 by the Armenian and Russian armed forces during the Nagorno-Karabakh War...
.
Death
Alif Hajiyev was one of the few Azeri combatants escorting hundreds of Azerbaijani civilians fleeing Khojaly. While crossing a road in groups, civilians were defended by Hajiyev who exchanged fire with Armenian troops. While covering the third group, Hajiyev was shot dead while trying to change the magazine. The bullet hit him in the head. Hajiyev was one of 40 defendants of the city which were stationed in Khojaly. Only 10 survived. 613 Azerbaijanis died on February 26. Hajiyev was buried in Martyrs' LaneMartyrs' Lane
Martyrs' Lane, Alley of Martyrs or Şəhidlər Xiyabanı , formerly The Kirov Park, is a cemetery and memorial in Baku, Azerbaijan dedicated to those killed by the Soviet Army during Black January and later to those killed in Nagorno-Karabakh War.-History:In the closing days of World War I fighting...
, Baku.
Personal life
He is survived by his wife, Gala Hajiyeva. He was posthumously awarded the title of the National Hero of AzerbaijanHeroes of Azerbaijan
The National Hero of Azerbaijan is the highest national title in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The law on the title has been in effect since December 25, 1995....
.