Defence chief: Reforms play key role in army reinforcement

By Azernews

By Sabina Mammadli

Defence Minister Zakir Hasanov has said that the personnel reforms carried out in the Azerbaijan army using new technologies play a significant role in strengthening the army, the ministry reported on January 13.

He made the remarks during his visit to the Higher Military Academy named after Heydar Aliyev.

Bringing the military specialists training program at the Military Academy in line with the programs applied at the military schools of Turkey's National Defence University is one of the essential steps aimed at training professional officers in the Azerbaijan Army, he said.

Hasanov talked about the historical significance of the victory that Azerbaijan gained in the 2020 second Karabakh war under President Ilham Aliyev's command. The minister also emphasized the importance of fraternal Turkey's moral and political support during the war.

At the start of the event, flowers were laid at the monument to national leader Heydar Aliyev in the academy’s area and his memory was honored.

Then a meeting with the officers and cadets of the academy, as well as professors and teachers was held at the academy’s club.

The participants first honored the memory of national leader Heydar Aliyev, as well as martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for the independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, followed by a minute of silence. Then the country’s national anthem was performed.

Congratulating the military personnel on the beginning of the new training year, he highly appreciated the heroism and courage shown by the Military Academy's graduates during the second Karabakh war.

Azerbaijan and Armenia resumed the second war after the latter started firing at Azerbaijani civilians and military positions starting September 27, 2020. The war ended on November 10 with the signing of a trilateral ceasefire deal by the Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders.

The ceasefire agreement stipulated the return of Azerbaijan's Armenian-occupied Kalbajar, Aghdam and Lachin regions. Before the signing of the deal, the Azerbaijani army had liberated around 300 villages, settlements, city centers, and historic Shusha city. The Azerbaijani army declared a victory against the Armenian troops. 

The signed agreement obliged Armenia to withdraw all its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it had occupied since the early 1990s.

About 2,000 Russian peacekeepers have been deployed for five years in Karabakh under the trilateral cease-fire deal signed by Baku, Moscow and Yerevan on November 10, 2020.