Azernews.Az

By Vafa Ismayilova

Azerbaijani Defence Minister Zakir Hasanov and other top military officials visited a newly-established operational (commando) military unit on October 19, the Defence Ministry has reported.

The visit took place under President Ilham Aliyev's order on activities to increase the Azerbaijani army's combat capability.

As part of the ceremony to open the military unit, the defence minister met the Patriotic War veterans and familiarized himself with their problems.

Later, a ceremony was held to present berets to the military personnel who had taken long-term commando courses in Turkey. Berets were handed over to the servicemen who were trained in view of the experience gained during the Patriotic War in 2020.

Speaking at the ceremony, Zakir Hasanov said that the courses contributing to the professional development of the Azerbaijani servicemen will continue.

He watched the exemplary performances of the commandos after inspecting the training centre located on the military unit's territory.

A few days ago, a graduation ceremony was held for the Azerbaijani servicemen who graduated from Mountain Commando Courses in Turkey's Isparta. The graduates were awarded certificates for successful completion of the course.

Azerbaijan and Turkey periodically hold joint drills to improve interaction and communication between their army units.

Military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey first emerged in 1992, with an agreement signed between the Azerbaijani and Turkish governments on military education and weapon equipment and deals to help strengthen the bond between the two nations.

On June 15, the two countries signed a memorandum of alliance that cemented the existing military, political and economic cooperation.

The Shusha Declaration on Allied Relations that President Ilham Aliyev and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed during the first official visit to Shusha eight months after Azerbaijan’s victory in the war with Armenia, also focuses on defence cooperation.

It affirms joint efforts by the two armies in the face of foreign threats. The declaration also pledges joint efforts for the restructuring and modernization of the armed forces. Moreover, the two nations affirm to encourage the execution of joint projects with the aim of developing capabilities in the field of sea, air, and space.

In an interview with Turkey's Anadolu Agency on September 27, President Ilham Aliyev said that the signing of the Shusha Declaration raised bilateral relations to an even higher level.

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