By  Trend

Twenty-five years have passed since the Azerbaijani army successfully completed the Horadiz operation.

As a result of the operation, which started December 1993 and ended Jan. 6, 1994, held under the command of Azerbaijan’s national leader Heydar Aliyev, the Horadiz city, 20 villages in the Fizuli district and the Jojug Marjanli village of the Jabrayil district were liberated.

In December 1993, the Armenian armed forces attempted to advance east of Fizuli city, but met strong resistance and were forced to retreat. After that, the Azerbaijani army launched a counteroffensive. On Dec. 15, Azerbaijani soldiers advanced in five directions - Fizuli, Khojavand, Aghdam, Aghdere and Kalbajar. The main strikes of the Azerbaijani military units on Horadiz were carried out from the Beylagan district located southeast of Nagorno-Karabakh. In early January 1994, Azerbaijani servicemen seized 11 settlements and 40 kilometers of the territory along the Azerbaijani-Iranian border.

On Jan. 5, the 702nd regiment, which took part in the Horadiz operation, in one day seized three tanks, one self-propelled antitank complex Sturm-C, six guns, six gun carriages, about 10 vehicles, a large number of weapons and ammunition. The enemy suffered heavy losses and retreated, leaving the bodies of the dead on the battlefield.

On Jan. 6, the 702nd regiment, breaking the enemy’s resistance, entered Horadiz, located west of the Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zangilan districts at the intersection of important roads leading to Fizuli. Azerbaijani army captured a village, the Horadiz railway station and strategically important Khudaferin bridges across the Araz River. The flag of Azerbaijan was raised in Horadiz.

The Horadiz operation is the most successful operation of the Azerbaijani army conducted in the winter of 1994. For their heroism during the operation, eight people were awarded the title of the National Hero of Azerbaijan.