Azerbaijani army under Ilham Aliyev's leadership took rightful place among world armies
By Rashid Shirinov
The Azerbaijani army under the leadership of President of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev has taken its rightful place among the armies of the world, Defense Minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, said on June 27.
He made the remarks in his speech at the solemn ceremony on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. The minister noted that since the day of its establishment, the Azerbaijani army has passed a glorious way.
“The liberation of Azerbaijani lands, in particular Baku, by the Caucasus Islamic Army, which consisted of the units of the fraternal Turkish armed forces and the Separate Azerbaijani Corps, was engraved in gold letters in our history,” Hasanov said. “In addition, in 1920, the Azerbaijani army gave a worthy rebuff to the Armenian aggression, which was directed against our state and territorial integrity.”
The minister noted that in 1991, after Azerbaijan restored its independence, Azerbaijan National Army was founded and important steps were taken in the field of army-building, adding that the national leader Heydar Aliyev laid the foundation of the modern army-building process in Azerbaijan.
“In a short time, our army transformed into a powerful force capable of performing any tasks assigned to it. As the supreme commander-in-chief stressed, the army-building is the primary task for our country,” Hasanov said.
The minister added that the continuous improvement of the high combat and defense capability of the Azerbaijani army, improvement of material and technical hardware, as well as the improvement of the social welfare of the military personnel are priority areas of this policy.
“Internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan are occupied by Armenia. The world community and international organizations recognize our territorial integrity and support the just position of Azerbaijan. Despite this, Armenia ignores the norms of international law and continues the occupation of territories,” Hasanov stressed.
He added that the attention and care to the army and personnel by the people, the state and the President serve to one ultimate goal – to liberate the Azerbaijani lands from the Armenian occupation, restore the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, as well as contribute to the establishment of peace and prosperity in the region.
Hasanov also noted that the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan has been expanding its cooperation with many countries and international organizations year after year.
“Despite the fact that today our country is facing serious security issues, the Azerbaijani army, by taking an active part in peacekeeping operations, makes a significant contribution to strengthening peace and international security,” the minister noted.
The Azerbaijani army, which today is considered the most modern army in the Caucasus, consists of Air Force and Air Defense Forces, the Navy, and the Land Forces. Today, the Azerbaijani army is one of the most powerful, highly disciplined armies in the world and the leading army in the region, which is equipped with modern military machinery.
The skills and combat readiness of the Azerbaijani army are growing year by year, as the country’s Armed Forces regularly conduct military exercises.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
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