Fifth Year of Freedom: Jebrail Celebrates City Day

October 4 - Jabrayil City Day. This holiday was established by the decree of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev dated July 31, 2023.

This significant date is associated with the liberation of Jabrayil from the occupation by the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia (RA AF). Today marks the fifth anniversary of the city's liberation from Armenian invaders.

The Jabrayil district was occupied by the RA AF on August 23, 1993. The district consisted of one city, four towns, and 92 villages. During the occupation, internally displaced persons from Jabrayil settled in tent camps, cargo wagons, and dormitories in 2,000 settlements across 58 districts of the country.

On January 5, 1994, during the Horadiz operation, the village of Jojug Marjanly in Jabrayil district was liberated from occupation. In 2016, during the April battles, as a result of a counteroffensive operation, Azerbaijan managed to clear the Lele Tepe height. Thus, the village of Jojug Marjanly came completely under the control of the Azerbaijani army.

On October 4, 2020, during the 44-day Patriotic War, the President of Azerbaijan, victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, addressing the nation, announced the liberation of Jabrayil and nine villages of the same-named district.

In total, during the Second Karabakh War, 90 villages of this district were liberated in addition to the city of Jabrayil. After the liberation of Jabrayil from enemy occupation, control over the Azerbaijan-Iran border was partially restored.

Six days after the victory in the Patriotic War, on November 16, 2020, President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva visited the liberated Jabrayil district.

The President raised the Azerbaijani flag in the city itself and on the Khudaferin Bridge.

On September 26, 2024, in accordance with the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev, according to the First State Program of the Great Return to the territories liberated from occupation, the first group of former internally displaced persons was sent from Baku to the restored Jabrayil, consisting of families temporarily housed in dormitories, sanatoriums, pioneer camps, unfinished buildings, and administrative buildings in various districts of the republic.

To date, 117 families (364 people) have returned to the city.

Recall that the Jabrayil district was established on August 8, 1930, on January 4, 1963, it was abolished and annexed to the Fuzuli district. But soon - on June 17, 1964, it again received the status of an independent district.

Jabrayil is located on the southeastern slope of the Lesser Caucasus, in the spurs of the Karabakh range. In the south, the district borders Iran. The total area is 1,049 sq. km, with predominantly mountainous terrain.

On July 7, 2021, by presidential decree, the Jabrayil district was included in the East Zangezur economic region.