BAKU: The Azerbaijani military has announced significant advancements in the ongoing conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, asserting the liberation of multiple villages and strategic positions from Armenian forces amidst the 44-day conflict known as the Second Karabakh War, which erupted on September 27, 2020.
According to Trend News Agency, on the 20th day of the conflict, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, in an interview with Haber TV channel, announced the liberation of the villages Khirmanjig, Aghbulag, and Akhullu in the Khojavend district. President Aliyev heralded these advances on his official Twitter account, praising the efforts of the Azerbaijani army and reaffirming the territorial claim, “Karabakh is Azerbaijan!”
Further reports from Azerbaijani officials highlighted the destruction of an Armenian artillery battery and injuries to a deputy commander. The Azerbaijani Prosecutor General’s Office also detailed the casualties resulting from the conflict, reporting that Armenian shelling had ki
lled 47 civilians and injured 222 others.
In response to what Azerbaijan describes as “large-scale provocations” by Armenian forces, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry released footage from the newly liberated areas in Khojavend district, demonstrating their control over the territory. Despite an agreed humanitarian ceasefire, Azerbaijani authorities accused Armenian forces of continuing to shell civilian areas in the districts of Goranboy, Tartar, Aghdam, Aghjabadi, and Fuzuli.
Adding to the tensions, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry claimed that Armenian forces launched a missile strike on the Ordubad district in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, a significant escalation affecting an area geographically separate from the main conflict zone. Moreover, the Armenian side reportedly bombarded a cemetery in the village of Ahmadaghalilar in the Aghdam district, further indicating the intensity of the conflict.
In a symbolic gesture underscoring their territorial claims, Azerbaijani forces raised the national f
lag over border outposts previously held by Armenian forces. The Defense Ministry also shared footage from the liberated Hadrut settlement, signaling ongoing operations and territorial assertions.