Alif Hajiyev helped the completely surrounded town survive for a few months with no gas and electricity, limited supply of food. When the Armenian offensive from three sides started on February 25, Alif gave an order to evacuate the town. The few defenders along with Hajiyev escorted the crowd of civilians along the Gorgor river valley overnight to the open plain near the village
Nakhichevanli, just six miles away from Azerbaijani positions in
Şelli village of
Aghdam, where the
Khojaly Massacre took place on February 26.
Death Alif Hajiyev was one of the Azeri combatants escorting hundreds of Azerbaijani civilians fleeing Khojaly. While crossing a road in groups, civilians were defended by Hajiyev who exchanged fire with Armenian troops. While covering the third group, Hajiyev was shot dead while changing magazines. The bullet hit him in the head. Hajiyev was one of 40 defendants of the city which were stationed in Khojaly. Only 10 survived. more than 200 (and potentially up to 1,000) Azerbaijani civilians were killed during the subsequent massacre. Hajiyev was buried in
Martyrs' Lane, Baku. ==Honors==