In the aftermath of rising ethnic tensions in the late 1980s, Sumgait, a city in Azerbaijan, became the epicenter of a violent pogrom against the Armenian population residing there. The unrest stemmed from a combination of long-standing grievances related to the Nagorno-Karabakh region, where ethnic Armenians demanded autonomy from Azerbaijani control. As these nationalistic feelings intensified, they manifested in violent outbreaks against Armenians in various Azerbaijani cities, with Sumgait being particularly affected.

The riots began on the evening of February 27, escalating overnight as mobs attacked Armenian homes and businesses. Reports indicate that participants in this violence were motivated by a concoction of propaganda and pre-existing societal tensions. Many Armenians were brutally beaten, and there were numerous fatalities during the clashes. The situation was aggravated by a lack of adequate police intervention, which allowed the violence to escalate unchecked for several days. The pogrom ultimately forced a significant portion of the local Armenian population to flee for safety, with thousands escaping to Armenia and other regions, resulting in a dramatic demographic shift.

The Sumgait pogrom marked a crucial point in the escalating conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, foreshadowing the violence to come during the ensuing Nagorno-Karabakh War. Life in the region underwent a dramatic transformation post-pogrom, as fear, mistrust, and hostility characterized interactions between the ethnic groups, leading to broader communal violence and entrenched divisions that would deepen during the subsequent conflict.