Exactly a year ago, on September 27, 2020, Azerbaijan's Patriotic War began. On that day, Armenia's occupying forces subjected the positions of the armed forces of Azerbaijan along the front line and the adjacent populated areas in Azerbaijan to intensive fire with the use of large-calibre weapons, artillery and mortars. Baku decided to launch a counter-offensive operation to ensure the safety of the civilian population. Vestnik Kavkaza offers its readers to follow the events of the 44 days of Azerbaijan's Patriotic War as they were covered a year ago.
On the night of the twenty-fourth day of the war, on October 20, a meeting of the UN Security Council was held on the cessation of hostilities in the territory of Azerbaijan. The Armenian occupation forces tried to stop the advance of the Azerbaijani liberation army towards Zangilan all night. By morning, the fighting reached the village of Khanlyg. At the same time, fighting intensified on the northern front.
In the morning, video footage of the destruction of Armenian firing points was published. In the United States, the Armenian diaspora has raised $30 million to support the occupation of Azerbaijani territories. The Azerbaijani Foreign Minister has scheduled a visit to the United States on October 23 to hold talks on the cessation of hostilities. Pakistan once again condemned the aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan.
In the first twenty-three days, 2,000 houses in peaceful settlements of Azerbaijan were destroyed by artillery strikes by the occupying forces. On October 20, two local residents were injured in the Terter region. The invaders admitted the deaths of 772 soldiers and officers.
At 14:00, the liberation of the city of Zangilan near the border with Armenia and adjacent villages was announced. Almost simultaneously, video footage of the release of Zangilan was published. The Armenian Defense Ministry has recognized the de-occupation of Azerbaijani territories.
In the evening, shelling of peaceful settlements in Azerbaijan continued. Meanwhile, the UK called on Yerevan to admit defeat. Talks were held between the presidents of Russia and France on the Karabakh war.
Having knocked out the invaders from Zangilan, the Azerbaijani liberation army headed for Gubadli. In response, the Armenian Armed Forces launched a combat drone towards Ganja.
In the evening, Ilham Aliyev, in his address to the nation, stressed that residents of all liberated territories will be able to return to their native lands. The Armenian Defense Ministry recognized the superiority of the Azerbaijani liberation army over the Armenian occupying forces.
Thus, on the twenty-fourth day of the war, the process of de-occupation of the Azerbaijani territories reached the border with Armenia. The border city of Zangilan was liberated and the liberation of lands along the Armenian-Azerbaijani borders began. The next target was the city of Gubadli, from which it was possible to conduct a counteroffensive to Lachin, the last supply artery of the occupation troops.
