Violent clashes break out in Azerbaijan

LAST UPDATE

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 15:09:49 GMT

Security forces in the Republic of Azerbaijan have clashed with thousands of protesters in the northern city of Quba, using tear gas to disperse them.

Police charged at demonstrators in Quba city, situated 145 kilometers (89 miles) north of Azerbaijan’s capital Baku, on Thursday after local residents torched the local governor's house in an apparent anger over a recent televised remark that they deemed to be offensive.

Both Quba governor Rauf Habibov and Azeri Minister of Transport Ziya Mammadov apologized before protesters. However, the angry protesters insisted that the governor must step down and then set fire to his house.

Police then threw tear gas canisters at the crowd to break up the protest.

Authorities said four people, including three police officers, were injured. At least one journalist was among those hurt in clashes between police and protesters.

Additional security forces and armored vehicles were said to be arriving from Baku and other regions.

The unrest follows comments from Habibov earlier this week in which he calls Quba residents "traitors" for selling their lands for as little as $40 to Azeris from other regions.

Habibov’s remarks came despite the fact that many local residents in Quba, home to 160,000 people, are too poor to cultivate their lands.

“He insulted the people of Quba! He accused us of treason. Quba residents have always supported our state,” one protester said.

The protest is the largest public demonstration to occur outside Baku since President Ilham Aliyev came to power in 2003. He succeeded his father, Heydar, who had ruled Azerbaijan since 1993.