Azerbaijani president played significant role in ensuring stability in region - former Deputy Assistant Secretary at US State Dep’t

By Trend

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is a great strategist, he played a significant role in ensuring stability in the region, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US State Department for Europe and Eurasia David Merkel told Trend.

"Azerbaijan has been patiently waiting for the implementation of UN resolutions for 30 years. But the expectations turned out to be fruitless. Therefore, President Ilham Aliyev did what the people wanted, and he did it very successfully and decisively. The lands were liberated from occupation. As a result, the Azerbaijani people celebrate November 8 as Victory Day. I congratulate all Azerbaijani people with Victory Day," Merkel said.

According to the decree of President Ilham Aliyev "On the establishment of Victory Day in the Republic of Azerbaijan" signed on December 3, 2020, November 8 is celebrated as Victory Day in Azerbaijan.

On September 27, 2020, in response to the large-scale provocation of the Armenian armed forces on the frontline, the Azerbaijani Army launched a counter-offensive operation, later called the "Iron Fist". The 44-day Second Karabakh War, which erupted as a result, put an end to nearly thirty years of occupation of Azerbaijani territories and the restoration of the country's territorial integrity.

The liberation of Shusha, the pearl of Karabakh, dear to every Azerbaijani, on November 8, played a decisive role in the fate of the war, leading to the defeat of Armenia's political and military leadership and the cessation of hostilities.

The operation to liberate Shusha from occupation will go down in history forever. Shusha, the crown and beating heart of Karabakh, was a natural fortification, so it was impossible to enter the city with tanks or other heavy weapons. There were two options to return it. In the first case, the Armenian armed forces in the city could be destroyed by airstrikes and artillery fire. The command did not go for it. Because the bombing of the city would cause great destruction. Therefore, hand-to-hand combat tactics were chosen as an alternative. Azerbaijani heroic soldiers and officers crossed the thick forests, rocks, and mountains with light weapons and destroyed the Armenian army in a face-to-face battle.