Today marks Kalbajar City Day

Today is November 25—Kalbajar City Day.

Report informs that Kalbajar City Day is celebrated for the first time in Azerbaijan.

Kalbajar City Day is solemnly celebrated on October 20 every year, following the decree signed by President Ilham Aliyev on July 31, 2023.

Today marks the third anniversary of the liberation of the Kalbajar District from the occupation of the Armenian armed forces.

The district was liberated as a result of the political leadership, the commanding ability of the Victorious Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Ilham Aliyev, and the successful military operations of the Azerbaijani Army in the Patriotic War.

In conformity with the trilateral statement signed by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on November 10, 2020, Kalbajar was to be returned to Azerbaijan on November 15, 2020. However, Armenia demanded an additional 10 days to evacuate the troops in the area and the illegal settlers from the district. Therefore, the Azerbaijani state, once again driven by principles of humanism, extended the deadline until November 25, taking into account the request of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

On September 27, 2020, the Azerbaijani army, which prevented the provocation of the Armenian armed forces on the front, counter-attacked and liberated several districts, hundreds of villages, settlements, and strategic heights from the enemy. The 44-day Patriotic War ended with the victory of the Azerbaijani army, and Azerbaijan's tricolor flag was hoisted in the liberated cities, villages, and settlements.

The occupying Armenian armed forces could not withstand the irreversible attack of the Azerbaijani army and retreated with heavy losses. At the same time, thousands of enemy troops and military equipment were destroyed. Realizing the futility of resisting the Azerbaijani army, Armenia's military-political leadership was forced to sign a capitulation document. Thus, the 27-year-old occupation of the Kalbajar District was ended, and the district was liberated from the invaders. On the same day, units of the Azerbaijani army entered the district, and the national flag was raised there.

In August 2021, President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva visited the Kalbajar district. The head of state raised the flag of Azerbaijan in the city of Kalbajar.

The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva visited the Kalbajar district on August 25, 2023. The head of state and the First Lady attended the opening of the “Soyugbulag” Small Hydroelectric Power Station owned by Azerenergy Open Joint-Stock Company and viewed the construction progress of the “Istisu” Mineral Water Plant. President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva were informed of the work done in the “Istisu” Treatment and Recreation Complex. The head of state attended the inauguration of “Chirag-1” and “Chirag-2” small hydroelectric power stations owned by Azerenergy OJSC. President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Zar village.

The head of state also visited Kalbajar on June 26 this year and got acquainted with the work carried out there. Currently, restoration and reconstruction works are being carried out in Kalbajar, new infrastructure is being built, and the district is being revived. Now, more than 77,000 people of Kalbajar are impatiently waiting for the day to return to their homeland.

Moreover, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, and their son Heydar Aliyev visited the Vangli village of the Kalbajar district on November 7.

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.

Currently, restoration and reconstruction work is being carried out in Kalbajar, new infrastructure is being built, and the district is being revived. Corresponding work is underway in the direction of the construction of roads and the restoration of all infrastructure in the district. Now, more than 77,000 residents of Kalbajar are impatiently waiting for the day of return to their homeland.

Note that the aggressor Armenian armed forces occupied the Kalbajar district on April 2, 1993. As a result of the occupation, 53,340 people were displaced, 55 servicemen and 511 civilians were killed, 321 people were taken hostage and went missing, and thousands were injured.