April battles - first blow to myth of "Armenian army’s invincibility"

Today marks seven years since the start of one of the Azerbaijani army's most historic victories - the April battles.

On April 2, 2016, in response to provocations by the Armenian armed forces, the Azerbaijani army swiftly defeated the enemy and liberated more than 2,000 hectares of the occupied territories of the Fuzuli, Jabrayil, and Agdara districts. Thousands of hectares passed under the complete control of our army. In four days of fighting in April, the Azerbaijani army gave our people the joy of victory after 22 years.

The purpose of the counter-offensive operation by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces was to prevent the danger threatening our settlements on the line of contact from the Armenian armed forces. So, since March 2016, units of the Armenian armed forces began to shell our settlements in the front zone more often. To escalate tension, the Armenian military units fired from artillery installations both at our combat positions and at the settlements on the line of contact.

On the night of April 2, the enemy shelled all our positions, as well as the civilian population. On the Azerbaijani side, an urgent decision was made to take immediate adequate measures, and retaliatory strikes were inflicted. The coordinates of the enemy were established on the front line and in the deepening, the manpower and military equipment of the Armenian army was destroyed.

The tensest directions of the front in the April events were Agdere-Terter-Agdam and Fizuli. In early April, units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in a short time established enemy forces concentrated on the front line and in the deepening, knocked them out of action with pinpoint strikes. As a result of successful operations, the heights in the direction of the village of Talysh, which threatened the city of Naftalan, were liberated from occupation. At the same time, to protect the city of Horadiz from enemy danger, the height of Leletepe, which had special strategic importance, was liberated, which allowed controlling a vast territory in the direction of the Fizuli region. As a result of decisive strikes by our army, up to 30 tanks, more than 25 artillery installations, and other military equipment of the foe were destroyed, more than 300 servicemen were killed, and more than 500 soldiers were wounded. Control over the roads in the direction of Agdere-Madagiz was ensured.

The resonance that arose as a result of the counter-offensive operations carried out by the Azerbaijani army in early April 2016 created a deep crack in the military-political leadership of Armenia. Thanks to the April victory, the myth created over the years about the "invincibility of the Armenian army" was debunked, and the Armenian people realized the collapse of the aggressive policy.

The April victory became the personification of the fighting spirit of our fighters, the unity of the army, and the people. The international community has realized that it is possible to liberate the occupied territories by military means. The April battles proved not only to the enemy but to the whole world, the readiness of the Azerbaijani people and our army for selflessness on the path of liberation from the occupation of our historical territories, which became a reality during the Patriotic 44-day war of 2020, as a result of which Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity.