Lieutenant-General Zakir Hasanov: Azerbaijani Internal Troops have high combat readiness

Azerbaijani Deputy Interior Minister, Commander of the Internal Troops, Lieutenant-General Zakir Hasanov said the Azerbaijani Internal Troops can be compared with relevant structures in Europe. Moreover, the Azerbaijani Internal Troops are among the best in the CIS in terms of their combat readiness, logistics and military equipment, he added.

"I can say with full responsibility that the Azerbaijani Internal Troops can be compared with many relevant structures in Europe,” Hasanov said in an interview with Trend on the eve of the 19th anniversary of the Internal Troops.

Representatives of European countries, including the Turkish gendarmerie, pay frequent visits to Azerbaijan and express positive opinions about the Internal Troops, Hasanov stressed.

"Today, their weapons, equipment and special means are the latest models produced in Europe. Azerbaijani president provides the necessaryl assistance to us to implement these projects,” he added.

The level of combat readiness is an issue under the constant supervision of the Azerbaijani Interior Ministry and Command, he said.

"The staff also achieved positive results in the fight against crime and in ensuring public safety, and special operations. Of course, these successes are achieved through hard work, tactical, and field exercises. Troops regularly conduct educational and methodical assemblies and tactical exercises with combat shooting to improve the knowledge and skills of officers and to better ensure understanding of the rules on how to use new weapons,” Hasanov said.

By using the helicopters, armored personnel carriers, artillery and modern weapons and equipment of the Defense Ministry, State Border Service and the Interior Troops, the staff showed great professionalism and skill in the joint tactical exercises in Baku and Nakhchivan, Hasanov stressed. The Supreme Commander of the armed forces and the Interior Ministry awarded the troops who achieved success in the military exercises.

Moreover, regular field exercises improve skills for using weapons, modern communications and night vision devices. All methodological and practical exercises serve one purpose – to preserve the combat readiness of the Internal Troops at the highest level, he said.


The commander of the Internal Troops stressed that Azerbaijan joined NATO's Partnership for Peace Program (PfP). During national leader Heydar Aliyev’s visits on May 4, 1994 to the NATO headquarters, a document was signed on joining the PfP and the plan was prepared in order to identify future spheres of cooperation.

The bilateral cooperation includes the spheres of military partnership, military moderation, democratic control over the armed forces, peacekeeping operations, political consultations on security issues and other spheres. For this purpose the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) was developed. The Azerbaijani armed forces, including the Internal Troops, have taken to the fulfillment of partnership goals.

Hasanov said most operational companies were eliminated and motorized units with special detached forces, fulfilling police functions, were created to ensure that the Internal Troops corresponde with NATO standards. Studies and conferences on NATO and U.N. peacekeeping operations, counter-terrorism, combating cyber terrorism, the European Community, as well as human rights are held in their specialized military school. Training and educational centers are equipped with modern equipment and teaching aids.

It is also planned to establish the Higher Military School of the Interior Troops based on the specialized military school, Hasanov said.

Additionally , around 300 servicemen of the Internal Troops have received their education in various foreign countries and studied English, and human rights.


It was planned to create a company to support the police in late 2008 according to the NATO Individual Partnership Action Plan and to participate in peacekeeping operations under the Internal Troops. It was also planned to create a battalion in 2015 under the Concept of Operational Capabilities, Hasanov continued.

For this purpose, the country adopted a law to amend legislation to ensure the participation of the Interior Troops in international peacekeeping operations outside the country.

The commander said special attention is also paid to studying areas such as searching for and arresting war criminals, maintaining public order, preventing riots and neutralizing terrorists during training exercises.

Knowing a foreign language also has particular importance, Hasanov said. Roughly 15 servicemen were sent to study English in Turkey and Slovenia, he added.

The Internal Forces also constantly participates in meetings held in Brussels in NATO, Hasanov noted.


The foundation for the Internal Troops' international relations was founded on Oct. 31, 1997, Hasanov said. He added that a protocol on mutual cooperation between the command of the Turkish gendarmerie and the Internal Troops was signed upon his initiative.

This initiative laid the foundation for a lasting friendship between the two countries, he said.

Hasanov stressed that this was a new stage for the Internal Troops. It was the beginning of international relationships and a natural repetition of history.

He added that Turkish officers have also assisted in the teaching and learning process.

"This work is underway today. Officers and warrant officers are trained at authoritative higher military schools in Turkey,” he said.

Hasanov summed up the interview by thanking the Turkish gendarmerie, adding that Azerbaijani military have also graduated from military training in the United States, Germany, China, Slovenia, Italy. France, and Israel.


/Trend/