The Great Patriotic War of 2020: The Path to Liberation and Peace

Exactly five years have passed since the beginning of Azerbaijan's Patriotic War for the liberation of its lands from Armenian occupation. On September 27, 2020, our Armed Forces launched a counteroffensive operation that lasted 44 days and culminated in the signing of the Trilateral Statement on November 10 - an act of Armenia's capitulation. Our people solemnly honor the memory of our martyrs - all those who fell for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, writes the newspaper "Caspiy".

The inevitable collapse of Armenian occupation

By the end of September 2020, there was practically no chance for a peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. Armenia not only expressed no desire and especially no readiness to end the occupation of Azerbaijani territories, but also threatened Azerbaijan with new seizures. This was evidenced by a number of provocations with the personal participation of Armenian leaders, in particular Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Defense Minister David Tonoyan.

Unwilling to accept the consideration of deoccupation of Azerbaijani territories during the negotiation process, Armenia relied on military provocations and sabotage, which had become virtually continuous. Even after the July 2020 battles, which resulted in the collapse of Armenia's military provocation, it continued to escalate tensions on the border with Azerbaijan. These were new acts of aggression on its part, accompanied by the death and injury of military personnel and civilians of Azerbaijan.

Armenia's actions pursued one goal - to consolidate the status quo that had developed as a result of its military aggression against Azerbaijan in the early 1990s. However, this had to be put to an end, and if not by goodwill, then forcibly. In the name of restoring historical justice, the triumph of principles and norms of international law, the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions, which provided for the unconditional withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the territory of Azerbaijan.

Thus, the 2020 war was a consequence of Armenia's rejection of all peaceful initiatives, of the voluntary return of occupied territories to Azerbaijan.

Karabakh is ours, Karabakh is Azerbaijan!

On September 27, 2020, Armenian troops made another attempt to attack Azerbaijani army positions, military facilities and settlements. In response, we launched a counteroffensive operation called "Iron Fist," which became the Patriotic War of the Azerbaijani people.

On the first day of the war, the President of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev addressed the Azerbaijani people with the words: "We are on the right path. Our cause is just. Victory will be ours! Karabakh is ours, Karabakh is Azerbaijan!".

In a matter of hours, our army liberated the villages of Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Horadiz in Fizuli district, Boyuk Marjanly, Nuzgar in Jabrayil district, and the Murovdag height in Kalbajar district. Thus began the glorious and heroic battle path to the Great Victory.

In just 44 days, the Azerbaijani army eliminated the deeply echeloned defensive system of the occupiers that had been built over three decades. Key milestones in the history of the war were the military operations that led to the liberation of the villages of Sugovushan and Talysh, the settlements of Hadrut, Khudaferin and Minjivan, the cities of Jabrayil, Fizuli, Zangilan and Shusha. November 8 - the day of the liberation of the city of Shusha, the decisive moment in the Patriotic War - is celebrated in Azerbaijan as Victory Day.

Armenia, having suffered a crushing defeat, was forced to sign an act of its capitulation on the night of November 9-10 - a Trilateral statement by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia. According to this document, the peaceful withdrawal of Armenian occupation troops from the Aghdam, Kal