In Azerbaijan, the city day of Lachin is celebrated

Today, the Day of the City of Lachin is celebrated in Azerbaijan.

The Day of the City of Lachin is solemnly celebrated annually on August 26 in accordance with the decree of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev dated July 31, 2023.

The significant date is associated with the deployment of the Azerbaijani army in the city of Lachin on August 26, 2022. On that day, the head of state announced the joyful news of the return of Azerbaijanis to the city of Lachin on his page on the social network X.

"Today, August 26, we – Azerbaijanis – have returned to the city of Lachin. The Azerbaijani army has been deployed in the city of Lachin. The villages of Zabukh and Sus have been taken under control. I congratulate all residents of Lachin and the Azerbaijani people on this event. Long live Lachin! Long live Azerbaijan!" the Azerbaijani leader's post stated.

It should be recalled that on August 26, 2022, the State Flag of Azerbaijan was raised in Lachin. Army Corps Commander Major General Kanan Seyidov reported to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Ilham Aliyev, on the deployment of the Azerbaijani army in Lachin.

Our ancestral historical lands, which had been under occupation for nearly 30 years as a result of Armenia's military aggression, were liberated through military-political means during the 44-day Patriotic War, and every day leading to the glorious Victory has been inscribed in golden letters in the history of Azerbaijan.

During the Patriotic War, at the cost of the blood and lives of soldiers and officers of the brave Azerbaijani army, more than 300 settlements were liberated from occupation, including the cities of Jabrayil, Fuzuli, Zangilan, Gubadly, the towns of Minjivan, Agband, Bartaz in the Zangilan district, the town of Hadrut and many villages of the Khojavend district, the village of Sugovushan in the Tartar district, several villages of the Khojaly and Lachin districts, as well as important strategic heights in the Agdara, Murovdag, and Zangilan directions. The war ended with the liberation of the city of Shusha – the crown of Karabakh – and the signing of the act of capitulation by Armenia.

The great victory achieved by Azerbaijan on the battlefield was also affirmed at the political level – Armenia was forced to end the occupation of the Aghdam, Kalbajar, and Lachin districts, and thus historical justice was restored. According to the trilateral statement signed by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Russia, and Armenia following the victory of the Azerbaijani army in the Patriotic War, the Lachin district was liberated from occupation on December 1, 2020.

During nearly 30 years of occupation, our cities, towns, and villages were destroyed by Armenia, serious damage was inflicted on cultural heritage, and historical-cultural and religious monuments and mosques were subjected to vandalism. Karabakh and East Zangezur, liberated from occupation, are currently being restored, territories are being cleared of mines, and large-scale restoration and construction work is being carried out at an accelerated pace.

To facilitate the return of former internally displaced persons to their native lands, the "First State Program on the Great Return to the Territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan Liberated from Occupation," approved by the decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated November 16, 2022, is being implemented. The return of internally displaced persons to the city of Lachin has already begun, and work in this direction continues.

Restoration and reconstruction work is being carried out not only in the city of Lachin but also in the villages of Zabukh and Sus.