During the Khojaly massacre, the battalion of Allahverdi Bagirov near Askeran managed to save hundreds of residents of the city. Bagirov made a great contribution to the removal of the bodies of those killed during the Khojaly massacre from the battlefield and the release of Azerbaijani prisoners in exchange for the bodies and captives of Armenian soldiers. Allahverdi Bagirov, through Vitaly Balasanyan, commander of the Armenian battalion in Askeran, saved more than 1003 residents of Khojaly from captivity in three days. According to Balasanyan, he handed over 1250 people to the Azerbaijanis. Bagirov received Azerbaijani prisoners at Garagadjy cemetery in Agdam district, brought them by bus and handed them over to their family.