Today marks four years since the liberation of Shusha City.
Report recalls that the city was liberated from Armenian occupation on November 8, 2020, by the valiant Azerbaijani Army under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
Azerbaijan's tricolor flag was hoisted in the center of the city after it was cleared of Armenian occupiers. On the same day, President Ilham Aliyev announced the liberation of Shusha city in his address to the nation from the Alley of Martyrs.
The Battle of Shusha was one of the most successful operations resulting in the Azerbaijani Army's victory in the Second Karabakh War. During the battles, the Azerbaijani Army advanced towards Shusha through dense forests, impassable ravines, and difficult mountain passes. On November 7, the army climbed the city's cliffs and entered Shusha with light weapons. Azerbaijan's special forces were divided into groups of hundred to approach the city from multiple directions. During the battles, Armenia fired Iskander ballistic missiles at Shusha, targeting Azerbaijani soldiers. Nevertheless, the Victorious Azerbaijani Army quickly destroyed and expelled Armenian forces from the city.
In May 2021, by President Ilham Aliyev's order, Shusha city was declared the cultural capital of Azerbaijan.
According to the decree signed by President Ilham Aliyev on July 31, 2023, Shusha City Day will be celebrated ceremoniously every November 8.
On September 25, 2023, Shusha was unanimously declared the Islamic World Capital for 2024 at the 12th Conference of Culture Ministers of the Islamic World held in Doha, Qatar.
Shusha city was occupied by Armenian armed forces on May 8, 1992. After the occupation, the city's 22,000 residents were displaced to various regions of Azerbaijan as internally displaced persons. During Shusha's occupation, 195 people were killed, 165 were wounded, and 55 were taken hostage.