Azerbaijan’s Special Forces mark 26th anniversary of their establishment

The Special Forces of the Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan were established on April 30, 1999. Officers and warrant officers who had participated in the First Karabakh War played a key role in forming the unit.

The Turkish Armed Forces’ Special Forces Command (the “Maroon Berets”) played a particularly significant role in shaping Azerbaijan’s special forces. In addition, Azerbaijani special forces regularly take part in training courses held in military centres in Pakistan, the United States, and other countries, and have repeatedly achieved high results in competitions held in the U.S., Türkiye, and Pakistan.

On April 29, 2015, a ceremony was held to present battle flags to newly formed special forces units.

Azerbaijan’s Special Forces units made a powerful statement during the April 2016 clashes in Karabakh, destroying a significant amount of enemy personnel and military equipment.

During the 44-day Patriotic War, the Special Forces played a pivotal role in liberating Azerbaijani territories from occupation. On November 8 2020, President Ilham Aliyev congratulated then-Commander of the Special Forces, Hikmat Mirzayev, on the liberation of the city of Shusha.

The Patriotic War marked the first time Azerbaijan made full-scale use of all its special operations units.

The Caliber.Az editorial team extends its congratulations to our Special Forces. Their courage and unwavering commitment to defending the homeland command the utmost respect.