Azernews.Az

By Ayya Lmahamad

• President Ilham Aliyev announces the liberation of Jabrayil city from occupation
• Liberation of several villages & destruction of dozens of Armenian military equipment
• Armenian armed forces launch missiles at Azerbaijan’s Barda, Ganja, Goygol, and Goranboy cities resulting in multiple civilian deaths
• Armenia hits the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline with cluster-type missiles
• Armenia fires at Azerbaijan’s Barda city from the Tochka-U high-precision tactical missile system

On September 27, 2020, in response to a large-scale provocation of the Armenian armed forces along the frontline, the Azerbaijani army launched a counter-offensive operation, later dubbed Iron Fist.

The 44-day war put an end to the nearly 30-year-long occupation and secured the liberation of Azerbaijani lands and the restoration of the country's territorial integrity.

The Azerbaijani army declared a victory against the Armenian troops. A Moscow-brokered ceasefire deal from November 10, 2020, stipulated the return of Azerbaijan's Armenian-occupied Kalbajar, Aghdam, and Lachin Districts and obliged Armenia to withdraw its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it has occupied since the early 1990s. Before the signing of the deal, the Azerbaijani army had liberated around 300 villages, settlements, city centers, and the historical Shusha city.

Here’s how the second week of the war played out:

Chronicles of Victory: October 3

President Ilham Aliyev announced that the Azerbaijani army raised the national flag in Madagiz (later renamed after its historical name of Sugovushan), liberated the Talish village in Tartar, and Mehdili, Chakhirli, Ashaghi Maralyan, Shaybay, Guyjag, and Ashagi Abdurrahmanli villages in Jabrayil and Fuzuli Districts.

The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry presented a list of the destroyed military equipment of the Armenian armed forces. Its total losses amounted to 230 tanks and other armored vehicles, 250 artillery installations, multiple launch rocket systems, and mortars, 38 air defense systems, 10 command and observation posts, seven ammunition depots, more than 130 vehicles, and one anti-aircraft missile complex S-300.

On the night of October 3, the combat activity of the Armenian armed forces in various directions of the front was suppressed, and crushing blows were inflicted on them.

The Armenian armed forces intensively shelled Tartar city, the district's Sahlaabad, Gazyan, Gapanli, Gaynag, Askipara, Gusanli villages, Aghdam District's Ayag Garvand, Imamgulubayli, Garadaghli, Tazakand villages.

Prosecutor-General Kamran Aliyev said at a briefing that since September 27, 19 civilians had been killed as a result of Armenian shellings. Among those killed were three women and two children;63 civilians received various degrees of injuries. The Prosecutor-General's Office launched 12 criminal cases into crimes committed by the Armenian armed forces against civilians.

The Defence Ministry distributed footage of the destruction of the Armenian army's military equipment.

Chronicles of Victory: October 4

President Ilham Aliyev announced the liberation from the occupation of Jabrayil city and a number of villages of Jabrayil District.

The president made an address to the people of Azerbaijan, gave an interview to the Al-Arabiya TV channel, and congratulated the commanders of the formations - Maj-Gen Mais Barxudarov, Maj-Gen Hikmat Mirzayev, and the personnel, led by them on the occasion of the liberation of Jabrayil city and nine villages of Jabrayil District from the occupation.

Two people were killed, and two more were injured as a result of artillery shelling of Beylagan by the Armenian armed forces. The Prosecutor-General's Office issued a statement about the shelling of Ganja. One civilian was killed and four were injured as a result of a rocket attack by Armenians of Ganja.

A criminal case was initiated against Armenia's Arayik Harutyunyan.

The Azerbaijani flag was hoisted at the post where Azerbaijani National Hero Mubariz Ibrahimov destroyed a great number of the Armenian military.

The Defence Ministry once again shared information about a large number of trophies captured from the Armenian armed forces.

Chronicles of Victory: October 5

President Ilham Aliyev announced the liberation of Shikhali Aghali, Sarijali, and Mazra villages of Jabrayil District, and several strategic heights in different directions from the 30-year Armenian occupation.

The president gave an interview to the Turkish TRT Haber TV channel.

The Defense Ministry reported about the Armenian rocket fire inflicted on Azerbaijani territories by Armenia and presented photos of enemy vehicles captured in Jabrayil.

The Azerbaijani Prosecutor-General's Office reported 24 deaths and 121 injuries as a result of the Armenian provocation.

The Armenian armed forces launched rockets at Azerbaijan’s Barda, Ganja, Goygol, and Goranboy cities.

One person was killed, and three were injured from fragments of a rocket launched at Barda.

The Azerbaijani Prosecutor-General’s Office filed 19 criminal cases on war crimes committed by Armenia against Azerbaijan.

The Armenian Armed Forces shelled the city of Agjabadi and wounded several people. Azerbaijani army destroyed four units of MLRS Grad of Armenia.

Chronicles of Victory: October 6

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev gave an interview to Russian Channel One TV.

President Aliyev received a delegation led by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry reported that as a result of a precise fire strike by the Azerbaijani army, the central ammunition depot located in the Ballija settlement was destroyed. In addition, two BM-21 combat vehicles as part of the Grad field reactive system, belonging to the Armenian army, were destroyed in battles in different directions of the front.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, following the Cabinet of Ministers meeting, stated that the duty of every respected state is to support the struggle of Azerbaijan for the liberation of its occupied territories.

The Defence Ministry published a video of the armored vehicles of the Armenian army captured as trophies by the Azerbaijani armed forces.

As a result of the shelling of Aghdam District by the Armenian armed forces, an Azerbaijani Emergencies Ministry employee was injured.

The Azerbaijani parliament approved the return of the historical name Sugovushan to Madagiz village recently liberated from Armenian occupation.

Azerbaijani Defence Minister Col-Gen Zakir Hasanov said at a special meeting if Armenia uses Iskander complexes, adequate retaliatory measures will be taken.

The State Security Service carried out radio interception of the negotiations of terrorists participating in military operations against Azerbaijan.

During the counter-offensive operation of the Azerbaijani army, two more terrorists - mercenaries who fought on the side of the armed forces of Armenia - were neutralized.

The Armenian armed forces fired on the territory of Yevlakh, Goranboy, and Beylagan Districts.

Defence Ministry Spokesperson Anar Eyvazov said at a briefing that unable to withstand the onslaught of the counter-offensive operation of the Azerbaijani armed forces, the Armenian soldiers left their combat positions and fled.

Chronicles of Victory: October 7

President Ilham Aliyev gave an interview to Euronews and CNN-Turk TV channels and addressed the participants of the XXIII Eurasian Economic Summit.

An operational meeting was held at the Central Command Post of the Defence Ministry under the leadership of President and Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev.

Armenia bombarded the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline with cluster-type missiles.

The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry said that as a result of artillery strikes, the Armenian command and observation defense post of the 5th regiment was disabled, and many were killed and wounded. The artillery strikes knocked out a tank and three Armenian artillery installations.

The Armenian armed forces fired at the villages of Tartar, Barda, Aghdam, Aghjabadi, Fuzuli, and Jabrayil Districts.

The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry published a list of the destroyed Armenian military equipment and shared the footage of the destruction. Another Armenian UAV was destroyed.

As a result of the fire by Azerbaijani troops, about 10 tanks, six D-20 cannons, one Akasiya self-propelled artillery unit, about 30 vehicles, and a large number of Armenian manpower were destroyed. The soldiers of the first and seventh Armenian regiments, located in the defensive areas, deserted leaving their combat positions without permission.

Chronicles of Victory: October 8

Azerbaijan’s Defence Ministry reported that Armenia had been shelling the villages of Goranboy, Tartar, and Aghdam Districts since the early morning hours. Civilians were killed and wounded. As a result of Armenia’s rocket attacks on Ganja, several civilian facilities, including a car and residential buildings were damaged.

Azerbaijan’s Defence Ministry published video footage of armored vehicles taken as a trophy abandoned by the Armenian army in Horadiz town while escaping from the battleground. Later, the Defence Ministry published another video footage of war trophies captured from the Armenian military.

Armenia fired at Azerbaijan’s Barda city from the Tochka-U high-precision tactical missile system. Another rocket fired by Armenia at Barda hit a restaurant and a school, injuring seven people. Azerbaijan destroyed Armenia’s Grad missile launcher which attacked Barda and Tartar cities.

Azerbaijan's Defence Ministry published another video footage of the destruction of the enemy’s armored vehicles.

Ten shells fired by Armenians from Smerch MLRS were found in Goranboy.

Chronicles of Victory: October 9

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev addressed the nation and announced that the Azerbaijani army liberated the village of Hadrut and several villages from occupation and destroyed a large number of military equipment of the Armenian armed forces.

The Defence Ministry announced the destruction of another headquarters of the Armenian army, the elimination of the chief of artillery of the regiment, and also presented a list of destroyed and captured equipment.

The Armenian armed forces continued shelling Goranboy, Tartar, Aghdam, and Fuzuli Districts of Azerbaijan. As a result of the Armenian shelling in Fuzuli, an employee of ANAMA (Azerbaijan Mine Action Agency) was seriously injured.

The Defence Ministry reported the destruction and seizure of a large number of military equipment of the Armenian armed forces; the destruction of many Grand, Prima missile systems and a military vehicle carrying 25 people as well as the destruction of Armenian armored vehicles brought to firing positions.

The ministry also disseminated information about the destruction in the air of a missile launched from Armenia's territory in the direction of Mingachevir.

The Armenian armed forces subjected to intensive shelling of the territory of Mingachevir, Aghjabadi, Barda, and Aghdam Districts.

The Azerbaijani army captured several more pieces of military equipment from Armenia. Pieces of military equipment abandoned by the Armenian armed forces were repainted in line with the Azerbaijani army standards to use against the Armenian armed forces.

The Azerbaijani Prosecutor-General's Office reported that four civilians were injured as a result of missile attacks at Aghdam by the Armenian army.

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Ayya Lmahamad is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @AyyaLmahamad

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