Chronicles of Victory: Lookback to third week of second Karabakh war
By Sabina Mammadli
- Armenian Armed forces shelled Ganja city with multiple missile attacks
- The Armenian armed forces, grossly violating the humanitarian ceasefire, continued shelling Goranboy, Tartar, Aghdam, Aghjabadi, and Fuzuli districts of Azerbaijan
- Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was interviewed by Sky News TV, Turkish Haber Global TV, France 24 TV channel
On September 27, 2020, in response to a large-scale provocation of the Armenian armed forces along the frontline, the Azerbaijani army launched a counter-offensive operation, later dubbed Iron Fist.
The 44-day war put an end to the nearly 30-year-long occupation and secured the liberation of Azerbaijani lands and the restoration of the country's territorial integrity.
The Azerbaijani army declared a victory against the Armenian troops. A Moscow-brokered ceasefire deal from November 10, 2020, stipulated the return of Azerbaijan's Armenian-occupied Kalbajar, Aghdam, and Lachin Districts and obliged Armenia to withdraw its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it had occupied since the early 1990s. Before the signing of the deal, the Azerbaijani army had liberated around 300 villages, settlements, city centers, and the historical Shusha city.
Here’s how the third week of the war played out:
Chronicles of Victory: October 10
Sky News TV channel has broadcasted an interview with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, in which the president said that Armenia is suffering a bitter defeat on the battlefield and noted that hopefully after that, they will be more reasonable, and they will listen to the advice of the mediators. Aliyev noted that negotiations should leave to the political settlement, and to the liberation of the occupied territories.
Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reveals pictures of a ballistic missile, released from the territory of Armenia in the direction of Azerbaijan’s Mingachevir.
The Azerbaijani army has destroyed the S-300 system of Armenian armed forces in Gubadli District. Besides, the Azerbaijani army has destroyed the 19J6 (ST-68U) radar system of the Armenian armed forces in Khojaly District.
The sides declared a humanitarian ceasefire at 1200 on October 10, 2020.
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu discussed the Moscow meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers with the mediation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
The Azerbaijani minister noted that an agreement was reached between the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides on a temporary ceasefire for humanitarian purposes and that the aggressor country was given the last chance to withdraw Armenian troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
On October 10, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was interviewed by the Russian RBC TV channel.
Chronicles of Victory: October 11
At least nine civilians were killed and 33 more were injured in Armenia's overnight missile attack in Ganja, Azerbaijan's second-largest city, on October 11. Among the casualties are children.
Presidential aid Hikmat Hajiyev said that Armenia's terror policy at the state level continues.
“Impunity of Armenia encourages it to further war crimes and military crimes. Misusing humanitarian truce Armenia indiscriminately fired densely populated residential part of Ganja. #Armenia must be stopped. #GanjaStrong,” Hajiyev wrote on Twitter.
On October 11, 2020, around 0400 (gmt+4) the Armenian Armed Forces launched missile attacks on Mingachevir, a large industrial city lying 100 km away from the then frontline, targeting the Mingachevir Hydro Power Plant which is the largest hydroelectric power station in the South Caucasus.
Azerbaijani Prosecutor-General's Office noted that Armenia continues to shell residential areas as well as strategic facilities with heavy artillery, deliberately targeting the civilian population of Azerbaijan.
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported that a lot of Armenian armed forces members were killed. The list also included 5 T-72 tanks, 6 D-20 and D-30 howitzers, 5 trucks with ammunition, 11 units of other vehicles, 3 MLRS BM-21 Grad, 5 self-propelled howitzers 2S1 Gvozdika, 8 air defense systems. Azerbaijan Air Defense Units also destroyed Armenia’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which attempted to carry out a flight in the Mingachevir direction.
Chronicles of Victory: October 12
President Ilham Aliyev was interviewed by the Turkish Haber Global TV channel.
The territory of Aghdam District came under fire by the Armenian Armed Forces. The commander and large manpower of the forces were killed.
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry shared a video of the destruction of three Armenian UAVs and a video of the liberated village of Suleymanly, Jabrayil District.
Mobile support points for the Azerbaijani troops participating in the hostilities were created.
The death toll as a result of missile attacks on Ganja city by Armenia reached 10 people.
Chronicles of Victory: October 13
President Ilham Aliyev gave an interview to the Turkish Haber Turk TV channel.
The Armenian armed forces fired on the territories of Azerbaijan’s Goranboy, Tartar, Aghdam, and Aghjabadi Districts. Additionally, Armenia fired missiles at a secondary school in Duyarli village of Azerbaijan’s Tartar district. The school building collapsed as a result of the missile attack.
The Institute on Law and Human Rights of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) sent an appeal to the embassies of Azerbaijan in foreign countries, diplomatic missions of foreign countries in Azerbaijan, as well as scientific and pedagogical institutions and organizations that are partners of the institute in countries of the world, in connection with the Armenian missile attack on Ganja city.
A large number of Armenian manpower and equipment were destroyed.
The Armenian armed forces fired at the villages of Aghdam District using artillery and missiles.
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry has released a video of the liberated settlement of Hadrut.
Chronicles of Victory: October 14
President Ilham Aliyev was interviewed by France 24 TV channel.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev tweeted, stating that Azerbaijan’s glorious army has liberated Garadaghli, Khatunbulag, Garakollu villages of Fuzuli District, and Bulutan, Melikjanli, Kemertuk, Teke, and Tagaser villages of Khojavend District.
The Armenian armed forces destroyed a shopping center in Azerbaijan’s Tartar, Aghdam, and Agjabadi Districts.
The Azerbaijani army destroyed one more ballistic missile system of Armenia and neutralized legitimate military targets aimed at the civilian population.
An Azerbaijani civilian was killed as a result of the Armenian Armed Forces' missile firing.
The Armenian Armed Forces opened fire at Azerbaijani journalists in Tartar’s Duyarli village on October 14. A car with the local AZTV channel's сamera crew was shelled, and as a result, driver Namig Gambarov was wounded, and the car was damaged as well.
As many as 43 civilians have died as a result of the shelling of Azerbaijani settlements by the Armenian armed forces from September 27 till October 14.
Chronicles of Victory: October 15
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was interviewed by the Turkish NTV channel. President Ilham Aliyev was also interviewed by Dmitry Kiselev, Director General of the Russia Today media group, for the Russian RIA Novosti news agency.
Azerbaijan’s Army liberated Arish village of Fuzuli District, Doshulu village of Jabrayil District, and Edisha, Dudukchi, Edilli, and Chiraguz of Khojavand District.
A motor rally in support of Azerbaijan has been held in Turkiye. The rally was organized by the Turkish IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation.
As a result of the actions taken by the Azerbaijani army, a large number of Armenian manpower and equipment were destroyed and disabled in different directions of the front.
Armenian armed forces, grossly violating the humanitarian ceasefire, fired at the territories of Goranboy, Tartar, Aghdam, and Aghjabadi districts. The death toll as a result of the deliberate shelling of the funeral procession in Tartar by Armenia reached 4 people.
Chronicles of Victory: October 16
President Ilham Aliyev was interviewed by A Haber TV channel.
The Azerbaijani army has liberated Xirmanjig, Agbulag, and Akhullu villages of Xojavand District.
The artillery battery belonging to the Armenian armed forces was destroyed, and the deputy commander of the regiment was injured. A list of the equipment of the Armenian armed forces destroyed at night was disclosed.
The Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's Office reported that 47 civilians were killed and 222 injured as a result of the shelling of Azerbaijani settlements by the Armenian armed forces.
The Armenian armed forces, grossly violating the humanitarian ceasefire, continued shelling the territories of Goranboy, Tartar, Aghdam, Aghjabadi, and Fuzuli Districts of Azerbaijan. Armenia bombarded a cemetery in Ahmadaghalilar village, Aghdam District.
The Armenian armed forces launched a missile strike on Ordubad District of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan.
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Sabina Mammadli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @SabinaMmdl
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