By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

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 called the "Iron Fist".

The 44-day war resulted in the end of nearly 30 years of occupation, the liberation of Azerbaijan's lands, and the restoration of the country's territorial integrity.

Chronicle of 44-day Second Karabakh War: October 2

- On this day, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev gave an interview to the Al-Jazeera TV channel. In the interview, the head of state once again defended the rightful position of Azerbaijan in the international media, spoke about the large-scale provocations of the Armenian armed forces and the counter-offensive operation of the Azerbaijani army. He also answered the questions about the conflict.

- Combat operations continued in different directions of the front. In the direction of Aghdara, Azerbaijani troops liberated the important heights around Madagiz settlement (later renamed into Sugovushan) and took control of it. 

- In the Jabrayil-Fizuli direction, Azerbaijani troops managed to move forward and broke the resistance of the Armenian troops, forcing them to retreat.

- Five Armenian armored vehicles, three military infrastructure facilities, and large number of personnel were destroyed. Armenian volunteers brought from Armenia to Azerbaijan's then-occupied territories refused to fight under various pretexts, fearing the intensity of the fighting and the heavy losses.

- Armenian armed forces subjected the villages of Hindiristan, Alibayli, Ahmadaghali and Safarli (Aghdam region) to a massive artillery bombardment. As a result of the aggression, there were wounded and killed among the civilian residents.

-The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry has released new footage of the battles. The Armenian manpower and equipment were destroyed.

- The Armenian armed forces shelled the building of a kindergarten in the Shikharkh settlement in the city of Tartar.

- A shootout took place between the servicemen of the 6th mountain rifle regiment of the Armenian armed forces in Madagiz (now Sugovushan), which retreated during night battles.

- Armenian armed forces fired on journalists who were reporting from the frontline. The journalists who were operating in the residential areas fired by Armenian forces came under sudden shooting.

- Armenia launched nearly 10 Tochka-U tactical missiles to Sabirkand village of Shamkir region.

-Armenian military supplies and combat means were destroyed.

- The Azerbaijani army seized the battle flag of the air discount command union of the Armenian armed forces’ 193rd airborne assault battalion, as well as a large number of weapons and ammunition of the Armenian forces who fled the battlefield, helpless in the face of the strength of the Azerbaijani army. The Armenian field control point, as well as several other Armenian manpower and equipment, were destroyed.

A Moscow-brokered ceasefire deal that Baku and Yerevan signed on November 10, 2020, brought an end to six weeks of fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani army declared a victory against the Armenian troops. The signed agreement obliged Armenia to withdraw its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it has occupied since the early 1990s.

The peace agreement stipulated the return of Azerbaijan's Armenian-occupied Kalbajar, Aghdam and Lachin regions and urged 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 historic Shusha city.