The anti-terrorism operation in Karabakh
As a result of the 44-day Patriotic War, which began on September 27, 2020, the victorious Azerbaijani army liberated more than 300 settlements from occupation, including the cities of Fuzuli, Zangilan, and Gubadli, as well as the city of Shusha, which is considered the crown jewel of Karabakh and holds a special place in the history, culture, and hearts of the Azerbaijani people. Villages such as Minjivan, Agbend, and Bartaz of the Zangilan district, the town of Gadruht, and many villages of the Khojavend district, the village of Sugovushan in the Tartar district, as well as several villages of the Khojaly and Lachin districts, including important strategic heights in the direction of Murovdag and Zangilan, were also liberated. The military actions were concluded on November 10, 2020, with the signing of a trilateral statement between the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia.
Despite Azerbaijan's repeated calls for a long-term peace after the war, Armenia has consistently avoided negotiations. Dissatisfied with this, Armenia continued to carry out armed provocations on our sovereign territories. In 2021, working groups were established for border demarcation between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Negotiations were sometimes held against the backdrop of crises and armed clashes in the region. In November 2021, the first military clashes occurred on the border. The most deadly clashes occurred on the border in September 2022. Armenian armed forces, along with illegal militarized separatist groups in the Karabakh economic zone of Azerbaijan, carried out sabotage operations towards the city of Shusha in March 2023, and in April and May, they shelled positions of the Azerbaijani army in the direction of the hypothetical border.
Additionally, during this time, the illegal exploitation of mineral deposits within the responsibility zone of the temporarily stationed Russian peacekeepers on Azerbaijani territory, along with the disregard for environmental norms and the transportation of natural resources to Armenia, caused legitimate dissatisfaction among the Azerbaijani public. Subsequently, a protest action was carried out for some time by eco-activists and representatives of certain Azerbaijani civil society organizations against the illegal activities of separatists in Karabakh.
In response to the establishment, on April 22, 2023, in a unilateral manner, of a checkpoint by the Azerbaijani State Border Service on the Azerbaijani side at the entrance to the Lachin-Hankendi road, on April 23, 2023, the Azerbaijani side announced the installation of a checkpoint at the beginning of the Lachin-Hankendi road on the border with Armenia to prevent the illegal transportation of personnel, weapons, ammunition, mines, and other military equipment through our territory in violation of the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020.
At that time, there were Armenian armed forces units in the Karabakh region numbering more than 10,000 troops, as well as illegal Armenian armed separatist formations. Despite the requirement in the trilateral statement for Armenian formations to disarm three years ago, they continued to increase their military personnel, acquire new weapons, and engage in provocations. This led to Karabakh separatists persisting in calls for independence, conducting elections for pseudo-presidents, and occasionally issuing statements against the Azerbaijani state on behalf of the so-called parliament. In the last few months, there has been an activation of Armenian armed forces units in the Karabakh region.
During this time, systematic shelling of Azerbaijani army positions with various caliber weapons, continued mining of our territories, enhancement of combat positions in terms of engineering, and an increase in the number of trenches and shelters led to increased tension.
On September 19, Armenian armed forces carried out several large-scale military provocations and terrorist attacks. As a result of the explosion of pre-planted mines by Armenian sabotage groups aimed at terror on the Ahmedbeyli-Fuzuli-Shusha road, several soldiers of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Internal Affairs and civilians were martyred and wounded. Additionally, parts of our army were shelled with mortars and various caliber weapons, resulting in injuries to two soldiers. On the same day, two civilians were killed in another terrorist act in the areas of Agdam and Shusha. The reinforcement of combat positions by illegal Armenian armed formations and the readiness to engage confirmed by parts of the Azerbaijani army prompted the initiation of a local anti-terrorism operation in the region to prevent these provocations, ensure the implementation of the provisions of the trilateral statement, and restore the constitutional order of the Azerbaijani Republic.
Within 23 hours and 43 minutes, Armenian separatists were compelled to raise the white flag. Following the appeal of Armenian residents of Karabakh to the Russian peacekeeping contingent, an agreement was reached for a complete cessation of hostilities, and the anti-terrorism operations were halted at 13:00 on September 20, 2023. According to the agreement, Armenian armed formations and illegal Armenian armed groups were to lay down their arms, vacate their combat positions and military posts, and completely disarm.
As a result, representatives of Armenians residing in Karabakh were compelled to meet with representatives of the Azerbaijani side in the city of Yevlakh, Azerbaijan. Issues regarding the dissolution of the separatist regime and the reintegration of Armenian residents living in Karabakh were discussed at the meeting. Conditions were also created for the voluntary decision-making of the Armenian population of Karabakh regarding reintegration, with the option to stay or leave.
On September 28, the head of the separatist regime, Samvel Shahramanyan, signed a document on the liquidation of the illegal regime. As a result of the anti-terrorism operation conducted in less than 24 hours, the Armenian army illegally stationed on Azerbaijani territory completely evacuated Azerbaijan, fully disarmed. The illegal regime of the junta in Karabakh was liquidated, the main leaders of the separatists were arrested, and Azerbaijan fully restored its state sovereignty.
The victorious history of Azerbaijan concluded with the raising of the tricolor flag in Hankendi, Khojaly, Agdere, Khojavend, and Askeran, and the complete restoration of territorial integrity. The conducting of a solemn military parade in Hankendi dedicated to the third anniversary of Victory in the Patriotic War became a great symbol of our Victory on November 8, 2023.