Azerbaijan marks 108th anniversary of Baku’s liberation

Today, September 15, marks the 108th anniversary of Baku’s liberation from occupation by Armenian-Bolshevik forces.

On September 15, 1918, Azerbaijani and Turkish troops liberated Baku from the Bolshevik-Dashnak junta, Caliber.Az reminds.

The liberation of Baku became one of the glorious chapters in 20th-century Azerbaijani history, bringing an end to Armenian and Bolshevik rule in Baku and its environs.

Although Azerbaijan had declared independence in May 1918, Baku and the surrounding regions remained under occupation. Without the liberation of Baku, it was difficult to imagine the republic’s national independence.

At the time, young Azerbaijan, having recently gained independence, lacked sufficient capacity to ensure its territorial integrity. Amid a complex political situation, the Ottoman Empire sent troops to Azerbaijan under the command of Nuru Pasha with the aim of ensuring the territorial integrity of brotherly Azerbaijan.

Despite protests from European states against the arrival of Turkish troops in Azerbaijan, Ottoman forces took part in the liberation of the country’s territory in August–September 1918.

On September 15, the Caucasian Islamic Army and the Azerbaijani Corps liberated Baku from the occupiers.

Following this historic event, the capital of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) was moved from Ganja to Baku.

By Sabina Mammadli