Azernews.Az

By Vafa Ismayilova

Azerbaijani Presidential aide Hikmat Hajiyev has thanked Azerbaijani President and Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev for the liberation of Shusha from the Armenian occupation.

“Endless gratitude to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Victorious Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev for granting our people the liberation of the city of Shusha!!!” Hajiyev wrote on his official Twitter account on 8 November.

"Long live the Commander-in-Chief, Long live Azerbaijan! Karabakh is Azerbaijan! May all our martyrs rest in peace! May all our wounded soldiers and officers recover soon," Hajiyev wrote.

On November 8, in his address to the nation President Ilham Aliyev made from the Alley of Martyrs in the capital Baku announced that the Azerbaijani city of Shusha had been liberated from the occupation of Armenian forces.

Shusha, which was occupied by Armenian forces on May 8, 1992, has critical importance in liberating Nagorno-Karabakh, which is an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan. It is located on the road to Khankendi, the region's largest city.

Besides its strategic importance, Shusha is known as one of the symbols of Azerbaijani history and culture. Many prominent Azerbaijani musicians and scholars were born here.

Since the counter-offensive operations began on September 27, the Azerbaijani army liberated four city centres, three settlements and over 220 villages, as well as some strategic heights from the occupation of Armenian forces.

Ninety-two Azerbaijani civilians have been killed and hundreds of others have been injured in Armenia's indiscriminate missile attacks on Azerbaijani civilian settlements and cities since September 27.

About 20 per cent of Azerbaijan's territory – including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions – has been under Armenian occupation for nearly three decades.

Multiple UN resolutions urge unconditional withdrawal of the invading forces from the occupied territories.

--

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz