Azerbaijan marks five years since liberation of Hadrut The victory that paved the way to Shusha

Today marks the fifth anniversary of the liberation of Hadrut settlement in Azerbaijan’s Khojavend district from occupation.

As Caliber.Az recalls, Hadrut and several nearby villages were freed from enemy control on October 9, 2020, during the counteroffensive launched by the Azerbaijani Army on September 27 of that year.

The liberation of Hadrut was one of the key operations that determined the outcome of the war. It was after this success that the Azerbaijani Army advanced toward Shusha. The battles for Hadrut played a crucial role in liberating the city of Shusha, as the enemy had expected Azerbaijani forces to approach from a different direction.

Intense fighting began on October 7, and by October 9, Azerbaijani forces had taken control of strategically important villages and heights surrounding the settlement. Hadrut was liberated. On the same day, the villages of Chayli, Yukhari Guzlak, Gorazilli, Gishlag, Garajalli, Afandilar, Suleymanli, and Sur were also freed from occupation.

On March 16, 2021, President of Azerbaijan and victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Ilham Aliyev, raised the national flag in Hadrut.

By Khagan Isayev