BAKU: First Vice-President of Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva, has extended her congratulations to the Azerbaijani nation on the liberation of Zangilan city, which marked a significant milestone in the conflict that concluded with the restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial sovereignty. The city’s liberation occurred on October 20, 2020, amidst a counter-offensive operation that began on September 27, 2020, and was later named “Iron Fist.”

According to Trend News Agency, the Azerbaijani Army initiated the operation in response to what it described as a large-scale provocation by Armenian armed forces along the frontline. This 44-day conflict, widely referred to as the second Karabakh war, resulted in the liberation of territories that had been under Armenian occupation for nearly three decades, thereby re-establishing Azerbaijan’s control over these regions.

In a post on her official Instagram page, Aliyeva celebrated the success of the Azerbaijani military in regaining control of several strategic locations,
including the villages in the districts of Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Khojavand, and Zangilan, as well as Zangilan city itself. Her message conveyed a strong sense of national pride and gratitude, stating, “I congratulate our people on the occasion of the liberation of a whole number of villages in Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Khojavend, Zangilan districts and the city of Zangilan from the occupation! Long live the people of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani Army. May Almighty Lord bless our people, our Motherland and President! Karabakh is Azerbaijan!”

The liberation of these territories is seen as a pivotal event in Azerbaijan’s recent history, symbolizing the end of a prolonged occupation and the reaffirmation of its territorial integrity.