The People of Azerbaijan Commemorated the Martyrs on the Fifth Anniversary of the Second Karabakh War
The People of Azerbaijan Commemorated the Martyrs on the Fifth Anniversary of the Second Karabakh War
On the occasion of “Martyrs’ Remembrance Day,” Azerbaijanis flocked to cemeteries on September 27, the day marking the start of the Second Karabakh War.
In Azerbaijan, martyrs were commemorated on the fifth anniversary of the 44-day war, launched on September 27, 2020, to liberate the territories under Armenian occupation.
Various events were held across the country on the occasion of “Martyrs’ Remembrance Day.”
On September 27, the day the Second Karabakh War began, Azerbaijanis flocked to cemeteries.
In Baku, relatives of martyrs and citizens visited the Alley of Martyrs, leaving flowers at the graves and offering prayers. Visitors were at times unable to hold back their tears.
Minister of Defense Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, along with the command staff, also visited the cemetery. During the ceremony at the cemetery, in which Hasanov took part, the Azerbaijani National Anthem was performed. At 12:00 local time, a minute of silence was observed for the martyrs.
Azerbaijan’s Ombudsman, Sabina Aliyeva, issued a statement on the fifth anniversary of the Second Karabakh War.
Aliyeva recalled that during the Second Karabakh War, as a result of attacks by the Armenian army, nearly 100 civilians, including 12 children, lost their lives, and more than 450 civilians were injured.
She also reminded that during Armenia’s attacks in the war period, more than 3,410 houses, 120 apartment buildings, and 12,000 civilian infrastructure facilities—including schools, hospitals, and kindergartens—were destroyed or rendered unusable in Azerbaijan. Aliyeva emphasized:
“The restoration of rights and freedoms violated during the occupation and war, clarification of the fate of missing persons, and the handover of accurate mine maps to Azerbaijan to accelerate the demining of the liberated territories are of utmost importance. In this regard, it is particularly important for international organizations, world states, ombudsmen, and human rights institutions of foreign countries to undertake joint initiatives to guarantee international legal norms, punish those who committed war crimes, restore violated human rights, and ensure sustainable development and lasting peace.”
In the Second Karabakh War, 2,908 Azerbaijani soldiers were martyred. The date the war began, September 27, was declared as “Martyrs’ Remembrance Day.”