Today, September 19, marks three years since the Azerbaijani Armed Forces conducted local anti-terrorist measures in the Karabakh region of the country.
Following its victory in the 44-day Patriotic War, Azerbaijan offered Armenia peace and the normalisation of bilateral relations. President Ilham Aliyev repeatedly urged Yerevan to seize this historic opportunity and sign a peace treaty based on mutual recognition of sovereignty and territorial integrity. Instead, however, Yerevan chose the
On September 2, 2023, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan congratulated the leaders of the illegal junta on its fabricated “Independence Day”. Moreover, despite the agreements reached following the Second Karabakh War, so-called “elections” were held on September 9, 2023, in the area under the temporary responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, resulting in the election of a so-called “president”.
Armenia not only refused to withdraw its armed forces and separatist formations from Azerbaijani territory, but, on the contrary, continued sending personnel, weapons and military equipment there. Moreover, in the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, the Armenian side attempted to build new fortifications, carry out engineering works to strengthen positions, and mine the area.
On September 19, 2023, two civilians were killed when a mine planted in advance by Armenian sabotage groups exploded on the Ahmadbayli–Fuzuli–Shusha road. On the same day, a vehicle carrying servicemen of the Azerbaijani Interior Ministry's Internal Troops struck a mine laid by a reconnaissance and sabotage group of the Armenian armed forces, killing four people.
To prevent large-scale provocations in the Karabakh economic region, disarm and withdraw Armenian units from our territories, and restore constitutional order in the region, local anti-terrorist measures were launched.
At 13:00 on September 19, 2023, units and formations of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces cut off all supply routes to Armenian formations and, through massive strikes, disabled their air defence, command and control, and electronic warfare systems.
High-precision weapons in service with the Azerbaijani Army were used to strike confirmed enemy targets. A total of 1,761 targets were destroyed in precision strikes.
Azerbaijani Army units, operating in close coordination with one another, achieved significant successes along all operational axes. Within the shortest possible time, more than 90 enemy combat positions were brought under control.
The operation covered 13 axes: five in the north and eight in the south. Azerbaijani forces rapidly advanced 5 to 26 kilometres into the enemy's defensive lines along key axes, including Aghdara–Asgaran, Khankendi–Khojavend, Sugovushan–Vang, Tazakand–Sirkhavand, as well as Khankendi–Khojaly, enabling them to take control of all strategically important roads in these areas.
Several hours later, special forces units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces had established full control over all key lines of communication, cutting off access to the areas where the operation was being conducted and blocking possible enemy withdrawal routes along all axes. They advanced 9.5 kilometres into the separatist forces' defensive lines.
Drawing on the experience of the 2020 Patriotic War and taking into account the challenging mountainous and forested terrain, Azerbaijani units operated in small, highly mobile groups. This enabled them to advance rapidly and catch the enemy by surprise.
Despite the operation beginning during daylight hours and being conducted in adverse weather conditions in mountainous and forested terrain, all assigned tasks were completed precisely and within the established timeframe.
“Azerbaijan duly punished the enemy by immediately taking necessary steps. Local antiterrorist measures were started, and all pending objectives were completed in one day. The terrorists were punished, and it was shown to Armenia again that all of their provocations would be met with a fitting response,” President Ilham Aliyev said in an address to the nation on September 20, 2023.
The anti-terrorist measures lasted 23 hours and 43 minutes, after which the separatists were forced to raise the white flag. In less than 24 hours, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces fully cleared and took control of an area covering 406 square kilometres. Demonstrating a high level of professionalism, the Azerbaijani Army conducted the anti-terrorist operation in strict accordance with the norms and principles of international humanitarian law, while causing no civilian casualties and inflicting no damage on civilian infrastructure. Within the shortest possible time, the Azerbaijani Army forced the surrender of an enemy force estimated at between 15,000 and 18,000 personnel.
On September 19–20, 2023, precision strikes by the Azerbaijani Army destroyed eight tanks, 22 artillery systems, 14 mortars, three anti-aircraft systems, eight electronic warfare systems and nine military transport vehicles belonging to the enemy.
In addition, 1,731 items of various military equipment were confiscated and seized during the operation, including artillery pieces, anti-aircraft missile systems, military vehicles, specialised equipment and other military assets. A further 18,664 small arms were seized.
On September 19, 2023, as a result of the local anti-terrorist measures, Azerbaijan fully restored its sovereignty. Armenian separatism was finally eliminated in Khankendi, Aghdara, Asgaran, Khojavend and Khojaly. The Azerbaijani flag was raised in these territories, marking another significant chapter in our history.
