September 19, 2023: A triumph etched in Azerbaijan's history Full restoration of sovereignty

After Azerbaijan's remarkable triumph in the 44-day Patriotic War, a victory that will forever remain etched in the nation’s history, the country extended an olive branch to Armenia, proposing peace and the normalization of bilateral relations. President Ilham Aliyev called on Yerevan to seize this historic opportunity by signing a peace treaty grounded in mutual recognition of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

However, Armenia's military-political leadership chose a path of provocation rather than abiding by the terms outlined in the Trilateral Statement of November 10, 2020. Instead of fully adhering to the agreement, Armenia escalated military tensions.

On September 2, 2023, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan congratulated the leaders of the illegal junta in Karabakh on a fictitious "independence day." This move came despite previous agreements following the Second Karabakh War. Then, on September 9, 2023, Armenia held so-called "elections" within the territory temporarily overseen by the Russian peacekeeping contingent, which resulted in the election of a so-called "president."

Armenia not only refused to withdraw its armed forces and separatist groups from Azerbaijani territory but continued sending military personnel, weapons, and equipment to these areas. Furthermore, in the Russian peacekeeping zone, Armenia attempted to fortify its positions by constructing new defences, carrying out engineering work, and laying mines.

In the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, Armenian forces engaged in a series of military provocations and terrorist activities. On September 19, 2023, two civilians were killed when a mine planted by Armenian sabotage groups detonated on the Ahmadbayli-Fuzuli-Shusha road. That same day, a vehicle transporting soldiers of Azerbaijan's Internal Troops exploded after hitting a mine planted by an Armenian reconnaissance and sabotage unit, resulting in the deaths of four servicemen.

To counter these large-scale provocations, disarm the Armenian units, and restore constitutional order in the Karabakh region, Azerbaijan launched local anti-terrorist operations. At 13:00 on September 19, 2023, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces blocked all supply routes of the Armenian formations. Through concentrated strikes, they successfully disabled Armenian air defence, control, and electronic warfare systems, ensuring a decisive response to the provocations.

The Azerbaijani Army employed precision weaponry to target and destroy 1,761 enemy positions with devastating accuracy. These precision strikes, part of a coordinated military operation, resulted in significant progress across all fronts.

Through seamless cooperation, Azerbaijani units swiftly captured over 90 enemy combat positions in record time. The operation, which spanned 13 key directions — five in the north and eight in the south — saw Azerbaijani forces advance 5 to 26 kilometres into enemy lines. Strategic breakthroughs were achieved in crucial areas, including Aghdara-Asgaran, Khankendi-Khojavand, Sugovushan-Vang, Tezekend-Syrkhavand, and Khankendi-Khojaly. These advances allowed Azerbaijani forces to seize control of all major roads in these regions.

Within hours, Azerbaijani special forces successfully took control of key communication routes, cutting off enemy access and escape routes in all directions. Their rapid advance penetrated 9.5 kilometres into the separatists’ defensive lines, tightening the operational noose around the enemy.

Drawing on their experience from the 2020 Patriotic War and adapting to the difficult mountainous and forested terrain, Azerbaijani units operated in small, highly mobile groups. This tactical advantage enabled them to catch the enemy off guard and make quick territorial gains.

Despite the challenges of operating in the daytime under unfavourable weather conditions in rugged terrain, Azerbaijani forces executed their mission with precision and efficiency, meeting all objectives on time.

In his address to the nation on September 20, 2023, President Ilham Aliyev stated, "Azerbaijan delivered deserved punishment to the enemy. Our localized anti-terrorist measures succeeded within a single day, and all objectives were achieved. The terrorists were punished, and Armenia was once again reminded that any provocation will be met with a strong response."

In an interview with Azerbaijani television, Defence Minister Zakir Hasanov provided details on the swift military operation that led to the defeat of Armenian formations. The operation, which lasted less than a day, commenced at 13:00, and by 22:00, the majority of Armenian forces were fully surrounded. Hasanov confirmed that Azerbaijani troops quickly blocked all enemy supply routes, neutralizing their air defence and control systems, and ultimately forcing the Armenian units to capitulate.

Within a brief period, Azerbaijani forces successfully cleared and secured an area of 406 square kilometres. Demonstrating exceptional professionalism, the Azerbaijani army conducted the anti-terrorist operation in strict adherence to international humanitarian law, ensuring that no civilian casualties or damage to civilian infrastructure occurred. The operation led to the surrender of an Armenian group numbering between 15,000 and 18,000 soldiers.

Between September 19 and 20 2023, precise strikes by the Azerbaijani army destroyed significant enemy assets, including 8 tanks, 22 artillery systems, 14 mortars, 3 anti-aircraft systems, 8 electronic warfare devices, and 9 military transport vehicles.

Moreover, Azerbaijani forces seized 1,731 pieces of military equipment, ranging from artillery systems and surface-to-air missiles to specialized equipment and military vehicles. A total of 18,664 small arms were also confiscated during the operation.

One of the most remarkable aspects of the recent operation was that only a portion of Azerbaijan’s military forces was deployed. This included select commando units, mechanized and motorized rifle divisions of the Ground Forces, groups from the Air Force, Navy, and Special Forces, as well as limited personnel and equipment from rocket artillery and engineer-sapper units. The restrained use of force in this operation underscores the Azerbaijani Armed Forces' capability and strategic precision.

Building on the resounding success of the 2020 Patriotic War, Azerbaijan achieved full restoration of its sovereignty on September 19 last year through localized anti-terrorist measures. Armenian separatism was decisively defeated in key regions, including Khankendi, Aghdara, Asgaran, Khojavand, and Khojaly, where the Azerbaijani flag was triumphantly raised. This victory marks yet another significant chapter in Azerbaijan’s proud history.

We close with the powerful words of President Ilham Aliyev, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, delivered in his address to the nation on September 20 last year:

"Those who despise us, those who despise our land, those who set their sights on our lands should never ever forget that the iron fist is in place and will always be in place! No one can speak to us in the language of dictate and ultimatums! Let no one forget this! Don't forget that Karabakh is Azerbaijan!"