105 years pass since liberation of Baku from Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation

Today marks one of the most glorious pages in the history of Azerbaijan in the 20th century.

Exactly 105 years ago, on September 15, 1918, the Ottoman's Caucasian Islamic Army and the Azerbaijani Corps under the command of Nuru Pasha entered Baku and liberated the city from the Armenian-Bolshevik occupation.

Over 1,100 Caucasian Islamic Army soldiers together with the Azerbaijani people lost their lives for this cause.

The independence of Azerbaijan was ultimately ensured by the liberation of Baku from the Armenian-Bolshevik occupation putting an end to their domination in the largest city of Azerbaijan.

Though Azerbaijan's independence was announced in May of 1918, part of the country's territory, Baku and surrounding regions were under the occupation of Armenian-Bolsheviks. Without it, it was impossible to imagine Azerbaijan's state independence. Young Azerbaijan, which newly regained its independence and was not recognized in the world, had not enough capacity to ensure its territorial integrity. In such conditions, despite being in a hard state, Ottoman Turkey sent its armed troops under the command of Nuru Pasha to fraternal Azerbaijan to ensure its territorial integrity. Despite the protests of European countries against the arrival of Turkish troops to Azerbaijan, in August-September of 1918, the Ottoman Empire fulfilled its historical mission with dignity.

After a grand historic victory on September 17, the capital of the government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was moved from Ganja to Baku consolidating the pillars of Azerbaijan as an independent state.

The liberation of Baku from the Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation brought about a real holiday in the city. Well-known millionaire and philanthropist Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev organized a solemn banquet in honour of the Turkish army and presented gifts to the commander of the Turkish army, Nuru Pasha, and his heroic generals.

The liberation of Baku on September 15, 1918, can be considered one of the great events of exceptional importance in terms of Azerbaijani-Turkish friendship and brotherhood.

After Azerbaijan gained independence for the second time, every year on September 15, not only in Baku, but also in other regions, Turkish soldiers are honoured and the graves of soldiers who died for the territorial integrity of our country are being visited.