Today marks the first-ever day of Zangilan city in Azerbaijan, Report informs.
Thus, Zangilan City Day is solemnly celebrated on October 20 every year following the decree signed by President Ilham Aliyev on July 31, 2023.
The celebration of the significant day on this date is related to the liberation of the city of Zangilan on October 20.
On October 20, 2020, the President of Azerbaijan, Victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, announced the liberation of Zangilan city and six other villages of the district - Havali, Zarnali, Mammadbayli, Hakari, Sharifan, Mughanli.
Along with Zangilan city and six villages, Dordchinar, Kurdlar, Yukhari Abdurrahmanli, Garghabazar, Ashaghi Veysalli, Yukhari Aybasanli villages of the Fuzuli district, Sarafsha, Hasangaydi, Fughanli, Imambaghi, Dash Veysalli, Aghtapa, Yarahmadli villages of the Jabrayil district, Aghjakand, Mulkudara, Dashbashi, Gunashli (previously Norashen), Chinarli villages of the Khojavend district were also cleared of Armenian invaders on October 20.
The glorious tricolor flag of Azerbaijan was raised in the liberated territories.
The Battle of Zangilan is one of the most successful operations along the Araz River, which resulted in the victory of the Azerbaijani Army in the Second Karabakh War.
On December 23, 2020, President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva visited the liberated Zangilan district. The Supreme Commander-in-Chief raised the glorious Azerbaijani flag in Zangilan.
After the liberation, along with demining operations in Zangilan, reconstruction and restoration work also continues. Infrastructure restoration works are being successfully carried out in the region. Life has returned to Zangilan. The return of IDPs to the territories liberated from occupation began with this district. So, this year, former IDPs have been returned to Aghali village, which was rebuilt on the basis of the concept of a "smart village" in the district. The resettlement of residents to their eternal villages began in July of this year.
On April 26, 2021, President Ilham Aliyev laid the foundation of the first "Smart Village" project, covering the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Aghali villages of Zangilan. This year, on May 27, the opening ceremony of the first phase of the "Smart Village" project was held. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva participated in the ceremony.
Moreover, the first airport was built in the region, which is expected to open in the coming days. On October 20, 2022, the opening ceremony of Zangilan International Airport was held. The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and the President of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, attended the opening ceremony. Zangilan Airport has already been given the status of an international airport. This is the first airport built in the East Zangazur economic region of Azerbaijan and the second in the territories freed from occupation. Before that, Fuzuli International Airport was commissioned. Another airport is being built in the Lachin district.
On September 28, 2023, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev visited the Zangilan district.
The head of state laid the foundations of Alibayli and Zangilan villages of the district, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th residential complexes to be built in the city and a 160-seat kindergarten. In addition, the President got acquainted with the work done in the Zangilan city mosque, participated in the opening of the Zangilan Convention Center Complex and Jahangirbayli Hydro Electric Power Plant.
On September 29, the opening ceremony of the 2nd Azerbaijan National Urban Forum themed "Resilient cities as a driving force of economic development and fighting inequalities" organized by the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture of the Republic of Azerbaijan in collaboration with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) was held in Zangilan as part of the Azerbaijan Urban Week and President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the opening ceremony.
On October 6, the foundation-laying ceremony of a highway bridge, customs and border infrastructure was held in the vicinity of the Aghband settlement of Azerbaijan’s Zangilan district as part of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran signed on March 11, 2022. The indicators of the highway bridge and border infrastructure will serve to increase the transit cargo transportation through the territory of the countries and to facilitate travel to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Thus, the number of freight vehicles that can be received daily by the departure point from the state border, which will have 7 traffic lines, as well as the car bridge, will be at least 1,100.
On September 19 of this year, local anti-terrorist measures were launched in the region in order to ensure the provisions of the Trilateral Declaration, prevent large-scale provocations in the Karabakh economic region, disarm and withdraw the Armenian armed forces units from our territories, neutralize their military infrastructure, ensure the safety of civilians returning to the liberated territories and the civil workers and military personnel involved in the reconstruction work, and restore the constitutional structure of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
During the measures that lasted for a little more than 23 hours, the positions of the Armenian armed forces on the front line and in-depth and long-term firing points, as well as combat vehicles and military objects were destroyed by the use of high-precision weapons. The enemy raised a white flag. With this, the constitutional structure was restored in all territories of Azerbaijan. At present, the glorious tricolor flag of Azerbaijan is waving everywhere in Karabakh.
Zangilan district is located south of Karabakh, on the border with Iran. The district's population, which covers an area of 707 square kilometers, is 45,000 (39,000 in 1993). Its territory is located in the southern part of the Lesser Caucasus Mountains along the Araz River. The area has unique beauties, cliffs, tulip plains, eye-catching forests, and bushes.
The climate is mainly mild and warm. Araz, Okhchuchay, Hakari, and Basitchay rivers flow through the territory of the district. These rivers, which have abundant water in all seasons of the year, were used for domestic and agricultural purposes. The area contains minerals such as building stone, limestone, gold, and black marble.
The Armenian Armed Forces occupied the Zangilan district on October 30, 1993. When the district was invaded, it consisted of one city, five settlements, and 79 villages. In Zangilan, along with agriculture, livestock was also developed. However, due to 27 years of occupation, the enemy destroyed Zangilan's wealth, damaged infrastructure, and vandalized settlements. Houses and historical monuments in the district were completely destroyed, and trees were cut.