Chronicles of Victory: Lookback to fourth week of second Karabakh war
By Ayya Lmahamad
- Azerbaijani flag was raised over the ancient Khudafarin bridge, in the center of the liberated Fuzuli city, Zangilan, Aghband
- Armenia opened fire on the film crew of the Azerbaijani AzTV channel in Aghdam, injuring one journalist
- The city of Zangilan and 24 villages had been liberated from the occupation
- Armenia shelled Tartar and Aghdam Districts, killing two civilians
- The Armenian armed forces fired three ballistic missiles at Siyazan, two at Gabala and one at Kurdamir
- A 17-year-old civilian was wounded in an Armenian missile attack on Gabala.
- Azerbaijan ensured full control over the state border (bordering with Iran)
- Liberation of several villages & destruction of dozens of Armenian military equipment
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 has 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 fourth week of the war played out:
Chronicles of Victory: October 18
President Ilham Aliyev posted a publication, on the official Twitter page, about the Azerbaijani armed forces raising the Azerbaijani flag over the ancient Khudafarin bridge.
Despite the announcement of a new humanitarian ceasefire, the Armenian armed forces once again grossly violated the agreement.
Azerbaijan’s Defence Ministry published a list of destroyed enemy equipment and announced the capture of an Armenian military unit. In addition, the ministry announced the seizure of military equipment and ammunition of the Armenian armed forces.
Azerbaijan’s Air Defence Units shot down another Su-25 attack aircraft of the Armenian armed forces.
The Armenian armed forces attempted to attack in Aghdara, Fuzuli, Hadrut and Jabrayil directions.
An Azerbaijani soldier captured positions of Armenian special forces. Another tactical UAV of Armenia was destroyed.
Azerbaijani flag was raised in the center of the liberated from occupation Fuzuli city.
Chronicles of Victory: October 19
President Ilham Aliyev received a delegation led by Turkish Grand National Assembly Speaker Mustafa Sentop, and gave a video interview to the Russian TASS news agency. The president also congratulated State Border Service Chief Col-Gen Elchin Guliyev on raising the Azerbaijani flag on the Khudafarin bridge.
President shared a publication on Twitter about the liberation of several villages in Jabrayil District, and a publication about Armenia's heavy artillery shelling of settlements in violation of the humanitarian ceasefire.
The Armenian military equipment and weapons were destroyed. The list of the destroyed equipment was announced. The Azerbaijani army seized a certain amount of military equipment abandoned by Armenian troops.
A high-ranking official of an Armenian armed forces battalion was killed.
As a result of the shelling of Tartar District by the Armenian armed forces, the owner of the house was seriously injured.
Armenia shelled Azerbaijani positions on the state border and opened fire on the film crew of the Azerbaijani AzTV channel in Aghdam, injuring one journalist.
The Defence Ministry released a video of war trophies seized from Armenian troops in the direction of Jabrayil and Fuzuli.
Chronicles of Victory: October 20
President Ilham Aliyev addressed the people of Azerbaijan and announced that the city of Zangilan and 24 villages had been liberated from the occupation.
President Ilham Aliyev renamed the liberated Vang village of Khojavand District to Chinarli.
Azerbaijan’s First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva shared a publication on her Instagram account about the liberation of Zangilan city and a number of villages of Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Khojavand and Zangilan Districts.
The Azerbaijani flag was raised in Zangilan.
Video footage of the destruction of Armenian armoured vehicles was released, and the list of destroyed Armenian military equipment was announced. A group of Armenian mercenaries refused to fight.
Armenia shelled Tartar and Aghdam Districts, killing two civilians.
Video footage of the destruction of a large number of Armenian servicemen and military equipment was released. In addition, video footage of the destruction of the Armenian military units in the direction of Gubadli was released.
Armenian anti-aircraft guns were destroyed in the direction of Ganja.
Chronicles of Victory: October 21
President Ilham Aliyev made a publication on the official Twitter page about the liberation from the occupation of a number of villages in the Fuzuli and Jabrayil Districts, as well as the Minjivan settlement and 13 villages of the Zangilan District.
President Ilham Aliyev was interviewed by Japan’s Nikkei newspaper.
The Ministry of Defense presents the latest data from the front and also reports on the liquidation of the chief of artillery, battalion commander and battalion commander of the Armenian Armed Forces, the destruction of the battalion of the 556th regiment of the Armenian army
The Defense Ministry presents a video of night and day artillery firing of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces and shows footage of the newly-liberated Chereken village.
Another Armenian UAV is destroyed, and a video of military equipment abandoned by Armenian units on the battlefield is made public. Air defense units of Azerbaijan discover and destroyed 3 more tactical UAVs of the Armenian Armed Forces.
Chronicles of Victory: October 22
President Ilham Aliyev made a publication on the official Twitter page on ensuring full control over the state border (bordering with Iran), and on the liberation from the occupation of three villages of Fuzuli District and four villages of Jabrayil District.
President Ilham Aliyev received the Turkish ombudsman.
Azerbaijani First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva gave an interview to Trend New Agency.
The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry disseminated information about the latest situation at the front. Volunteers in the Armenian armed forces fled, leaving their combat positions. Information was disseminated about the wounding of the commander of the Armenian armed forces regiment, the killing of his deputy, and the battalion commander.
The Armenian armed forces fired three ballistic missiles at Siyazan, two at Gabala and one at Kurdamir. A 17-year-old civilian was wounded in an Armenian missile attack on Gabala.
Armenian servicemen refused to fight. Video footage of another captured military equipment of the Armenian armed forces was distributed.
Another tactical UAV of the Armenian armed forces, which attempted to fly in the direction of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan, was destroyed. The Azerbaijani artillerymen continued to deliver precise strikes at the firing points of the Armenian armed forces.
The Azerbaijani flag was hoisted in the village of Aghband, Zangilan District.
The Defence Ministry presented video footage of the destruction of a significant number of servicemen and equipment of the Armenian armed forces.
Chronicles of Victory: October 23
President Ilham Aliyev shared a publication on Twitter about the liberation of Zilanli, Kurd Mahrizli, Muganli and Alagurshag villages of Gubadli District, and about the liberation of Dolanar and Bunyadli villages of Khojavend District, Dag Tumas, Nusus, Xelefli, Minbashili and Veyselli villages of Jabrayil district, Venedli and Mirzehasanli villages of Zengilan district.
President had a phone conversation with the father of the National Hero Shukur Hamidov, who became a martyr.
Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry disseminated information about the latest situation at the front. Important territories and heights were liberated. The Armenian armed forces, leaving the positions, deserted.
Territories of Tartar, Aghdam and Aghjabadi Districts were subjected to intensive shelling, and four UAVs of Armenian armed forces were neutralized.
Video of the destruction of Armenian personnel and armoured vehicles, as well as a video from the Minbashili village of Jabrayil District, liberated from the Armenian occupation, was published.
Moreover, a video of the destruction of Armenian volunteer detachments in the Khojavend and Fuzuli directions, and a video of the destruction of artillery units and the command post of the Armenian armed forces as a result of air strikes were published.
Chronicles of Victory: October 24
President Ilham Aliyev was interviewed by the French Figaro newspaper.
The stockpiles of weapons, ammunition and fuel of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed, and Armenian UAVs were neutralized.
The Armenian armed forces shelled Azerbaijani settlements.
A video of the destruction of Armenian military equipment during the night was published. An Armenian fighter jet was destroyed.
Azerbaijan's Gubadli District was shelled using artillery from the territory of Armenia.
Azerbaijani artillery units continued to inflict crushing blows on the Armenian armed forces.
Armenian armed forces’ attempt to attack Azerbaijani units was prevented. The Azerbaijani Air Force destroyed Armenian military equipment and infrastructure, as well as combat equipment.
--
Ayya Lmahamad is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @AyyaLmahamad
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz