Krkjan (Armenian: Քրքջան) or Karkijahan (Azerbaijani: Kərkicahan) is a settlement near the city of Stepanakert. The village had an Armenian-majority population prior to the Khaibalikend massacre in 1919 and subsequently an Azerbaijani-majority population prior to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in 1988.
Krkjan / Karkijahan Քրքջան / Kərkicahan | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Krkjan / Karkijahan | |
| Coordinates: 39°48′12″N 46°44′16.3″E / 39.80333°N 46.737861°E | |
| Country |  Azerbaijan |
| • District | Khankendi |
| Elevation | 997 m (3,271 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC+4 (AZT) |
History
Pre-Soviet period
In 1886, the village had an Armenian-majority population, consisting entirely of farmers.[1]
In June 1919, the village and the neighboring villages of Ghaibalishen (Khaibalikend), Jamilli, and Pahlul were looted and destroyed in the Khaibalikend massacre with 600-700 ethnic Armenians being killed by armed Kurdish irregulars and Azerbaijani soldiers.[2][3]
Soviet Union
During the early Soviet period, the village was a district within the city of Stepanakert in the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast of the Azerbaijan SSR, known as Karkijan (Azerbaijani: Kərkican). In 1988, the district was given the status of an urban-type settlement, after Azerbaijani IDPs from Stepanakert settled in the village.[4] Tensions steadily grew between Azerbaijanis of Karkijahan and Armenians of Stepanakert. In one incident on 5 May 1989, three locals and four soldiers were wounded.[5] Similar incidents were recorded in July 1989,[6] and November 1991.[7]
First Nagorno-Karabakh War
The settlement had an Azerbaijani-majority population of 1,796 inhabitants prior to the outbreak of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in 1988.[8][9] Following the expulsion of ethnic Azerbaijanis from the city of Stepanakert in 1988, most of them settled in Karkijahan.[4] Armenian troops entered Karkijahan on 29 December 1991, and established full control over it the following day.[9] By the time of its capture, most of the village's Azerbaijani population had already left the village.[10] According to Azerbaijan, 34 people, including 3 women and 2 minors, were killed during the battles.[9] During the hostilities in Karkijahan, a journalist of Radio Mayak, Leonid Lazarevich, was killed.[11] Azerbaijani forces recaptured the village by 31 December, however it was finally retaken by Armenian forces in late January - early February 1992.[12] The village was subsequently burned to the ground by Armenian forces.[10]
Republic of Artsakh
Since the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, the settlement has been administrated as part of the city of Stepanakert by the Republic of Artsakh. It was renamed Krkjan (Armenian: Քրքջան).[13]
Gallery
Old image of Karkijahan
View of Karkijahan
View of Karkijahan
References
External links
- Karkijahan, Nagorno-Karabakh at GEOnet Names Server
- World Gazetteer: Azerbaijan[dead link] – World-Gazetteer.com
