Azerbaijan Marks Victory Day

Today, Azerbaijan proudly celebrates the fifth anniversary of its historic Victory in the Second Karabakh War - Victory Day, The Caspian Post reports.

Victory Day was established by an order signed on December 3, 2020, by the President of Azerbaijan and Victorious Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Ilham Aliyev.

In response to Armenia’s provocations and renewed military aggression, the Azerbaijani Army launched the Patriotic War on September 27, 2020. Its goals were to liberate the country’s occupied territories, compel Armenia to peace, enforce UN Security Council resolutions, ensure the return of internally displaced persons to their homelands, and restore justice. The entire Azerbaijani nation stood united in pursuit of this sacred cause.

Over 44 days of intense fighting, the valiant Azerbaijani Army liberated five cities, four settlements, and 286 villages from occupation, including:

• The city of Jabrayil and 90 villages,

• The city of Fuzuli and 53 villages,

• The city of Zangilan, the settlements of Minjivan, Aghband, Bartaz, and 52 villages,

• The Hadrut settlement and 35 villages of the Khojavand district,

• 3 villages of the Tartar district,

• The city of Gubadli and 41 villages,

• 9 villages of the Khojaly district,

• The city of Shusha,

• 3 villages of the Lachin district,

as well as several strategic heights in the Aghdara and Murovdag directions, including Bartaz, Sigirt, and Shukuratuz heights, along with five unnamed elevations in Zangilan.

Azerbaijan’s military victories - especially the liberation of Shusha, the crown of Karabakh - played a decisive role in determining the outcome of the war. This success forced Armenia to acknowledge defeat and sign an act of capitulation, returning the Kalbajar, Aghdam, and Lachin districts to Azerbaijan.

On the night of November 9-10, 2020, a trilateral statement on the complete cessation of hostilities was signed by President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia, and President Vladimir Putin of Russia. This agreement marked the official end of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Congratulations on Victory, Azerbaijan!