Azerbaijan marks five years since liberation of Qubadli

Today, Azerbaijan marks the fifth anniversary of the liberation of the city of Qubadli from occupation, the administrative center of the Qubadli District in the country's East Zangazur Economic Region.

Qubadli had been under Armenian occupation for over 27 years since August 31, 1993. On October 25, 2020, the Azerbaijani army expelled the invaders from the city in the final act of the Karabakh war - a conflict also known as the Second Karabakh War, the 44-Day War, and Azerbaijan's Patriotic War.

Today is also celebrated as Qubadli City Day.

On this occasion, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev shared a post on his social media accounts on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of Qubadli's liberation from occupation: "Our Victory History: October 25, 2020 - Qubadli".

The Second Karabakh War began on September 27, 2020, as a counter-offensive operation by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. It was launched to ensure the security of Azerbaijani civilians against a new military strategy by Armenia's leadership, which Baku interpreted as "new war for new territories."

The liberation of Qubadli, located near the Armenian-Azerbaijani border approximately 100 km from the former line of contact, was made possible by the advance of the Azerbaijani army through the Araz River valley via the Fuzuli, Jabrayil, and Zangilan districts. A few days prior to Qubadli's liberation, the city of Zangilan (October 20) and the village of Agband (October 22) were freed. This allowed Baku to regain full control over the Azerbaijani-Iranian border and opened a path for a counter-offensive along the border with Armenia from south to north. Qubadli was the first major settlement on this path.

The city of Qubadli was fully liberated on the evening of October 25. President Ilham Aliyev officially announced the city's liberation, along with dozens of villages in the Qubadli, Zangilan, and Jabrayil districts, on the morning of October 26. Following the liberation, extensive evidence of vandalism, the destruction of Azerbaijani cultural and historical monuments, and massive deforestation was documented in the area.

In recognition of this achievement, Azerbaijan established the "For the Liberation of Qubadli" medal. Servicemen who demonstrated exceptional bravery during the Qubadli operation were awarded this honor by presidential decree.