This remembrance day is observed in accordance with the decree issued by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on December 2, 2020, as a mark of profound respect for our soldiers and officers, and for all the martyrs who heroically fought in the Patriotic War and sacrificed their lives for the territorial integrity of our country.
The nation honors the memory of the heroes of the 44-day counteroffensive operation “Iron Fist,” which began on September 27, 2020, in response to yet another provocation by the Armenian Armed Forces and brought an end to the long-standing Armenian occupation of our historical lands.
On the morning of September 27, 2020, Armenian Armed Forces stationed on Azerbaijan’s occupied territories launched another large-scale shelling of the positions of the Azerbaijani army and frontline settlements. By order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani army launched a counteroffensive along the entire front.
On September 28, 2020, partial mobilization was declared in the country while the army continued the operation to liberate the lands.
On October 4, 2020, the city of Jabrayil was liberated from occupation. President Ilham Aliyev announced this on his Twitter account.
On October 9, 2020, the settlement of Hadrut was cleared of the occupiers.
On October 10, 2020, Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed to a temporary humanitarian ceasefire aimed at exchanging bodies and prisoners.
On October 11, 2020, Armenian Armed Forces launched a missile attack on Ganja, Azerbaijan’s second-largest city, killing 10 people and injuring 40.
On October 17, 2020, Ganja was again struck by a missile attack from Armenian territory. Fifteen civilians, including children and adolescents, were killed, and 55 were injured.
On the same day, the city of Fuzuli and several villages were liberated from occupation. President Aliyev announced this in an address to the nation.
On October 18, 2020, a new ceasefire agreement came into effect, but Armenia again failed to comply.
The Khudaferin Bridge, an 11th-century historical structure on the Araz River at the Azerbaijani-Iranian border, was cleared of Armenian forces. The Azerbaijani flag was raised on the bridge.
On October 20, 2020, the city of Zangilan was liberated from occupation.
On October 25, 2020, the city of Gubadly was cleared of the occupiers.
On October 26, 2020, a third humanitarian ceasefire, initiated by the United States, came into effect. However, the Armenian army violated the agreement, shelling Azerbaijani army positions with artillery.
On October 27, 2020, the Armenian army used cluster bombs in an attack on the city of Barda, killing five people, including a child.
On October 28, 2020, the Armenian army struck Barda for the second time. Cluster bombs took the lives of 21 civilians.
On November 8, 2020, the symbol of Karabakh, the city of Shusha, was liberated from occupation.
On November 10, 2020, a trilateral statement was signed between Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia. Armenia acknowledged its defeat and committed to returning the Aghdam, Kalbajar, and Lachin districts to Azerbaijan. The war ended.
On November 20, 2020, the Azerbaijani army entered the Aghdam district, which had been under occupation for 27 years.
On November 25, 2020, the Kalbajar district was returned to Azerbaijani control.
On November 30, 2020, Armenian forces withdrew from the Lachin district, which had been under occupation for 28 years.
In 44 days, the Azerbaijani army liberated five cities, four settlements, and 286 villages from occupation.
Under the terms of the trilateral statement, the Armenian army was forced to completely withdraw from the Aghdam, Kalbajar, and Lachin districts.
