Vrezh
Vrezh | |
---|---|
Leader(s) | Grayil Marukhian |
Dates of operation | 1989 - 1991 |
Active region(s) | Azerbaijan |
Major actions | Bus, train and subway bombings |
Notable attacks | 1990 Tbilisi-Agdam bus bombing |
The Vrezh (translated as Vengeance from Armenian) is thought to have been an underground militant movement reportedly created by Dashnak leadership in 1989 to fight Azerbaijan and authorities in Northern Caucasus by bombing civilian targets.[1][2]
Operations
The organization is believed to have operated from the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, where it was responsible for the murder of Colonel of Russian Internal Security Forces V. Blakhotin. The organization was allegedly founded by an ultra-nationalist Armenian Grayil Marukhian, expelled from Armenia at the end of 1980's and living in Greece and Syria since. Vrezh's debut act is considered to be the bombing of Tbilisi-Baku bus on September 16, 1989 which resulted in the death of 5 and 27 injured. Two of the alleged perpetrators were arrested while preparing the next terrorist act at the main bus station in Ganja. Both were condemned to 20 and 15 years while the mastermind reportedly escaped. Vrezh is believed to be the party in charge for the bombing of Tbilisi-Agdam bus close to Azerbaijani city of Ganja on August 10, 1990 and the failed attempt to bomb the Baku-Gazi-Magomet train on March 26, 1990 where the bomb was found and defused. Among other attacks believed to be the work of Vrezh are the April 30 and July 31, 1991 bombings of Moscow-Baku trains which killed and severely injured several dozen passengers.[1][3]
See also
References
- 1 2 van der Leeuw, Charles (1998). Azerbaijan: a quest for identity : a short history. United Kingdom: St. Martin's Press. p. 160. ISBN 0-312-21903-2. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
- ↑ Tütüncü, Mehmet (1998). Caucasus, war and peace: the new world disorder in Caucasia. Haarlem: SOTA. p. 221. ISBN 90-901112-5-5.
- ↑ Bolukbasi, Suha (2011). Azerbaijan: A Political History. I.B.Tauris. p. 116. ISBN 1-84885-620-2. Retrieved 2011-10-03.