During the second Karabakh war, we used cunning tactics against the enemy while liberating the Bartaz height of the Zangilan district, Lieutenant Colonel Mahmud Shukurov of the State Border Service (SBS) told Report.
He said that after the liberation of the city of Zangilan during the Patriotic War, the next task of the units of the SBS was to liberate the surrounding areas of the district, including the heights of the main strategic importance:
"I am glad that the task of liberating the heights of Bartaz and Shukurataz, which have paramount strategic importance in the area, was given to the group under my command. After receiving the combat task, we moved with the equipment to the area called Bartaz station. The enemy was already following us. Therefore, we started to move on foot. Along the way, we encountered many obstacles from the enemy. Armenians had mined the roads entirely. But this could not break our determination to fight. Finding ways to maneuver, we got as close to the ridges as possible. When we approached the height, we saw that a large number of the enemy's manpower, including a crew equipped with large-caliber weapons, was positioned there."
The lieutenant colonel said that at this time, they once again launched control fire to determine the group's combat tactics, the number of the enemy, and what weapons they used. After that, they planned the operation again, specified it, and started the attack operation:
"Using the camouflage features of the terrain, we climbed from these rocky places to the top. We used such a cunning tactic to draw the main forces of the Armenians to the right wing of the peak so that our attack group could get as close to the enemy as possible from their rear - from the cliff. Our plan worked. By placing our group in the area, we fired deceptive shots at the Armenians and focused their attention in that direction. Then we got as close to the enemy as possible. With quick and accurate shots from a place they did not expect, we destroyed the Armenians concentrated on the Bartaz height, and the task assigned to us was successfully fulfilled."
The SBS officer said that immediately after the task was performed, protection and defense were organized there using the features of the area: "I reported this to the Commando Headquarters through communication. The management thanked my personnel, and I was given the military rank of major."
According to the relevant decrees of the President, Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, Shukurov was awarded the "Karabakh" order, "For the liberation of Jabrayil" and "For the liberation of Zangilan" medals.