Azerbaijani people proud of army Caliber.Az describes combat path of Azerbaijani Armed Forces

Azerbaijan celebrates 106th anniversary of the Armed Forces on June 26.

The first regular military unit - a separate Azerbaijani corps was created upon the decision of the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic on June 26, 1918. The first success in the military sphere was achieved on September 15. The national army, together with the Caucasian Islamic Army led by Nuru Pasha, liberated Baku and the surrounding districts from the occupation by Armenian Bolshevik groups.

After the occupation of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the Bolshevik government disbanded the National Army in April 1920. June 26 was declared Armed Forces Day upon the decree of Azerbaijani national leader Heydar Aliyev dated May 22, 1998. The pinnacle of the Azerbaijani army during this period was the grandiose victory in the 44-day second Karabakh war - the victory in Karabakh.

The creation of a modern national army began in 1991 after the restoration of state independence. However, during the first years of independence, when Armenia occupied Azerbaijani lands, the country's leadership was unable to create a disciplined regular army.

The enemy took advantage of this situation, and the scale of occupation of the Azerbaijani territories increased. Azerbaijan faced the threat of losing its independence. During this difficult period, Azerbaijani national leader Heydar Aliyev, who returned to power, disbanded the uncontrollable armed groups and began creating a regular army.

The modern Azerbaijani army was created, developed and strengthened thanks to the tireless activity of the national leader. After the national leader returned to power, the Azerbaijani people and army believed in victory.

The large-scale mobilisation was carried out upon Heydar Aliyev’s instructions, and military units were fully provided with weapons. The Azerbaijani army carried out successful military operations in 1994 upon the Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s instructions and dealt crushing blows to the enemy.

Twenty villages of the Fuzuli district, as well as Horadiz village and Jojug Marjanli village of the Jabrayil disrict were liberated from occupation on January 5, 1994. Azerbaijan faced the historical challenges and global opportunities at the beginning of the new millennium.

Azerbaijan has begun to strengthen its sovereignty and defense capabilities, which became the foundation for the further achievements. While continuing the military development policy of national leader Heydar Aliyev, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev decided to build up military power and reform the Armed Forces according to NATO standards.

After 2003, military spending increased by more than 15 times. The conditions of military service and living conditions for military personnel have been improved. The army was provided with the most modern weapons and military equipment. More than 20 military plants were built in Azerbaijan. The production of various military products was established - a total of 1,200 items.

The effective ties were also established with friendly countries in the military-technical sphere. The Azerbaijani army has become the strongest one in the region as a result of these targeted measures. According to the Global Firepower ranking, Azerbaijan ranks 59th among 145 countries, Georgia - 84th and Armenia - 102nd this year.

The modernised Azerbaijani army demonstrated its strength in April 2016. The Armenian armed forces deployed in the occupied Azerbaijani territories launched artillery strikes on the positions of Azerbaijani troops along the entire line of contact and on the settlements in nearby areas on April 2.

The fiercest battles occurred in the direction of Aghdere - Tartar - Aghdam and Khojavand - Fuzuli. A decision was made to launch a rapid counter-offensive operation in response to Yerevan’s provocations. During the counter-offensive operation, the Azerbaijani army destroyed up to 30 tanks, more than 25 artillery installations and other military equipment of the enemy. Some 320 Armenian soldiers and officers were killed.

More than 500 Armenian occupiers were wounded. As a result of these operations, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces inflicted a heavy defeat on Armenia. More than 2,000 hectares of the occupied territories of the Fuzuli, Jabrayil and Aghdere districts were liberated.

Moreover, Azerbaijani troops established full control over thousands of hectares of other territories and ensured the security of the Azerbaijani settlements in several directions. During the April battles, the well-equipped and trained Azerbaijani army used attack drones for the first time, which caused panic among the Armenian soldiers.

The Azerbaijani Armed Forces were able to carry out a counter-offensive operation from disadvantageous positions and complete all assigned tasks. This was the most important result of the April 2016 battles. The configuration of the contact line was changed and strategic heights were liberated.

The victory in these battles also had a very important moral and psychological significance. The enemy realized the full power of Azerbaijan and its army. Nevertheless, the Armenian military and political leadership launched another large-scale provocation in the direction of Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan in 2018. The Azerbaijani Armed Forces responded by conducting another counter-offensive operation, which will go down in the Azerbaijani military history.

The April battles of 2016 demonstrated the military power of the Azerbaijani army while the 2018 Gunnut Operation to liberate strategic heights and territories showed the greater maneuverability of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. The result of this operation was the liberation of Gunnut village in the Sharur district, the Agbulag heights, the Gizilgaya and Garagaya mountains.

The Azerbaijani military units also established full control over Arpa village in the Darelayaz district and the Yerevan - Yeghegnadzor - Gorus - Lachin - Khankendi strategic road. Then the Azerbaijani army liberated a total of 11,000 hectares of territory. The Armenian side launched another provocation on the Azerbaijani-Armenian conventional border in the Tovuz district in July 2020.

The Armenian armed forces attempted to capture the positions of the Azerbaijani army tarting from July 12. The enemy used mortars and large-caliber artillery, firing at the positions of the Azerbaijani military and border settlements.The hostilities continued until the evening of July 17. However, all attempts by the Armenian army to seize positions were stopped.

The positions on the front line, strongholds, armoured vehicles, artillery installations, military facilities which are used for various purposes were destroyed as a result of the measures taken by the Azerbaijani army. About 100 Armenian military personnel were killed. When repelling the enemy’s attacks in the Tovuz battles, 12 Azerbaijani servicemen became martyrs.

A march was held in Baku those days in support of the Armed Forces and the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. The Azerbaijani citizens said that they are close to the Azerbaijani army and the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and support them. Thousands of young people began to sign up as volunteers to defend their native land at President Aliyev’s instruction.

The Tovuz battles, which resulted in the victory of the Azerbaijani army, created the opportunity for the liberation of the Azerbaijani lands, which had been under occupation for many years. The Armenian armed forces deployed in the occupied Azerbaijani lands began shelling the positions of the Azerbaijani army and front-line settlements on September 27, 2020.

As a result of the shelling, the Azerbaijani civilians and military personnel were killed, civilian infrastructure was greatly damaged. The Azerbaijani army began counter-offensive operations along the entire front upon the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev.

The symbol of Karabakh – Shusha city was liberated from occupation on November 8, 2020. A tripartite statement was signed among Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia on November 10, 2020. Armenia was completely defeated. The victory put an end to almost 30 year-occupation. Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity was restored.

During 44 days, the Azerbaijani army, as a result of the “Iron Fist” operation liberated five cities, four settlements and 286 villages from occupation. The Azerbaijani army conducted successful operations in response to the enemy’s provocations in 2022.

The hostilities began in March with Operation Farrukh. As a result, the Azerbaijani army began to control the strategic height - Mount Farrukh. The members of illegal Armenian armed groups committed a terrorist action against the Azerbaijani military on August 3. They tried to capture the Girkhgiz hill in the mountain range, which covers the Kalbajar and Lachin districts to create new combat positions there.

The Azerbaijani army carried out Operation Revenge, as a result of which the Girkhgiz and Saribaba heights along the Karabakh ridge of the Lesser Caucasus, as well as a number of other dominant heights, were taken under control. The Azerbaijani army began to control Mount Buzdukh and the adjacent heights on August 6.

The Armenian Armed Forces committed a large-scale provocation in three directions of the Azerbaijani-Armenian border, namely, Dashkasan, Kalbajar and Lachin on September 12. It was the first major escalation since Azerbaijan's victory in the 44-day second Karabakh war.

The enemy’s sabotage groups planted the mines in the areas between the Azerbaijani military positions and the roads which are used for supplying necessary goods in various directions.

Some positions, shelters and strongholds of the Azerbaijani army in the Dashkasan, Kalbajar and Lachin districts were intensively shelled from various weapons, including mortars. The decisive response measures were taken to prevent provocations and military threats to the territory and sovereignty of Azerbaijan, as well as to ensure the safety of the Azerbaijani  military personnel.

The Armenian armed forces’ positions were destroyed and the expansion of the conflict was prevented. The Armenian side suffered big losses in the September battles. The Armenian officials said that 224 Armenian soldiers were killed and three more were missing. More than 300 Armenian soldiers were wounded.

In total, the Azerbaijani army began to control 53 combat positions, two mortar firing positions and eight strategically important heights. The permanent deployment point of a motorised rifle brigade of the Armenian Armed Forces, the launch positions of two S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems and two S-125 air defence systems were destroyed.

A mine, previously planted by the sabotage groups of the Armenian Armed Forces in the Karabakh economic region of Azerbaijan, exploded on the Ahmadbayli-Fuzuli-Shusha road on September 19, 2023. As a result, the Azerbaijani civilians died.

On the same day, a mine exploded under a vehicle carrying servicemen of the Internal Troops of the Azerbaijani Interior Ministry. The mine was planted by a reconnaissance and sabotage group of the Armenian Armed Forces. The Azerbaijani soldiers were killed and wounded.

The local anti-terrorist measures were launched in the region to stop large-scale provocations in the Karabakh economic region, disarm and withdraw the formations of the Armenian Armed Forces from the Azerbaijani territories, as well as restore Azerbaijan’s constitutional order.

The positions of formations of the Armenian Armed Forces, their long-term positions, as well as military equipment and military facilities were destroyed as part of the measures by using high-precision weapons on the front line and other positions.

Azerbaijan began to control more than 60 positions of the Armenian Armed Forces. More than 20 units of military equipment, more than 40 guns and more than 30 mortars, two anti-aircraft missile systems, more than six Mortira radio electronic stations, as well as other military equipment were destroyed.

Anti-terrorist local measures lasted less than a day.

“During one day, all the tasks were fulfilled. The terrorists were punished, and Azerbaijan once again demonstrated that any provocation would be prevented,” Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said while addressing people.

After the victory in the second Karabakh war and the complete restoration of sovereignty, Azerbaijan continues strengthening its military potential. The combat effectiveness of the Azerbaijani army is constantly growing.

“We have fulfilled all the tasks. At the same time, the issues related to the creation of the army will remain a priority for us. Let everyone know this, and let no one forget about it,” the Azerbaijani President made these remarks at a military parade on the occasion of Victory Day in Khankendi city on November 8, 2023.

Today we see that Armenia does not abandon its attempts to disrupt peace negotiations and continues cherishing revanchist plans.

Yerevan, which is supported by its patrons, does not give up its territorial claims to Azerbaijan and is actively increasing its military capabilities. Armenia purchases weapons from France, India and other countries.

“We are closely monitoring Armenia’s attempts both its own and with the help of its partners. Therefore, I frankly and openly said that if we see even the slightest threat to our security, this threat will be immediately destroyed. Wherever it is, no matter how deep in the Armenian territory it is, we will simply destroy it. Everyone should know and understand this, and first of all the Armenian leadership,” the President of Azerbaijan said in January 2024.

The Armenian leadership must remember these statements of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. Armenia, even relying on its patrons and allies, does not have the slightest chance of achieving success in the confrontation with Azerbaijan.

The 1990s are over. If the information about the introduction of the latest systems and equipment into service with the Azerbaijani army is not widely covered, this does not mean that this process has stopped even for a second.

Any attempt at military revenge would be suicide for Armenia and its military and political leadership. The Azerbaijani people are confident in their valiant army and its Supreme Commander-in-Chief.