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Stepanakert, May 9.  This day marked a triple holiday in Nagorno Karabakh - the victory of the allied forces over Nazi Germany in WW II, the 10^th anniversary of the liberation of Shushi and the 10^th anniversary of the creation of the NKR Defense Army Day.  Holiday festivities took place throughout the republic.  In his congratulatory speech, delivered during the official commemoration ceremony, President Ghoukasian said that liberation of Shushi was a crucial historic event for the people of Nagorno Karabakh.  Rising above Stepanakert,

the town of Shushi in 1991 was turned unto a military base used by Azerbaijani armed forces to strike the civilian population of the Nagorno Karabakh capital with heavy artillery.  During that time the majority of Stepanakert's population sought refuge in basements.  City streets and buildings were turned into rumbled concrete and twisted metal.  In these circumstances, the government of Nagorno Karabakh Republic was forced to launch an operation to put an end to military attacks originating from

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