Azerbaijani servicemen join Anatolian Phoenix - 2023 drills

International search and rescue exercises "Anatolian Phoenix - 2023" with the participation of soldiers from different countries started at Konya airbase in Türkiye.

At first, a briefing was given on the scenario and location of the exercises, the process of preparation, safety rules and tasks to be carried out at various stages, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry told  Caliber.Az.

It should be noted that at the international exercises, which will last until June 16 this year, Azerbaijan will be represented by pilots, technical personnel and aviation facilities of the Air Force, as well as military personnel of the Navy and special forces.

Military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Türkiye first emerged in 1992, with an agreement signed between the Azerbaijani and Turkish governments on military education and weapon equipment and deals to help strengthen the bond between the two nations.

On June 15, 2021, the two countries signed a memorandum of alliance that cemented the existing military, political and economic cooperation.

The Shusha Declaration on Allied Relations that President Ilham Aliyev and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed during the first official visit to Shusha eight months after Azerbaijan’s victory in the war with Armenia also focuses on defence cooperation.

It affirms joint efforts by the two armies in the face of foreign threats. The declaration also pledges joint efforts for the restructuring and modernization of the armed forces. Moreover, the two nations affirm to encourage the execution of joint projects with the aim of developing capabilities in the field of sea, air, and space.

In an interview with Türkiye's Anadolu Agency on September 27, 2021, President Ilham Aliyev said that the signing of the Shusha Declaration raised bilateral relations to an even higher level.