To The Day Of The Liberation Of Akna (Aghdam)

The city of Aghdam has been the main Azerbaijani military base since the beginning of the Artsakh War back in 1991.

On February 23, 1991, the Azerbaijanis without any resistance occupied the military bases of the 4th Army of the Soviet Armed Forces stationed in Aghdam. As a result, 728 train wagons of artillery shells, 245 wagons of missiles, and 131 wagons of ammunition fell into the hands of Azerbaijanis. For comparison, on the territory of the Armenian SSR, there were only 500 wagons with ammunition at the time.

After the liberation of Shushi, in order to ensure the safety of Stepanakert and the settlements adjacent to Aghdam, the Artsakh Self-Defense Forces were instructed to destroy the military bases of Aghdam, from where the enemy regularly fired at the Armenian settlements from 152 mm long-range artillery and Grad rocket systems.

Among other things, Aghdam was also an important communications hub. Thus, the problem of the destruction of this Azerbaijani fortress grew day by day, and after the liberation of Karvachar and Martakert, Armenian forces proceeded to liberate Aghdam.

The Aghdam liberation operation was an all-army operation in which all the defensive regions of Artsakh participated.

On July 4, 1993, Armenian troops launched the operation. On the same day, trying to stop the siege of Aghdam, the enemy launched a powerful attack in the directions of Askeran, Martakert, and Hadrut. But as a result, Azerbaijanis lost the heights of Shelly which were of exceptional importance for Aghdam.

After the heights around Aghdam came under the control of Armenian forces, about 20 days of fierce fighting followed. The immediate threat of a complete blockade loomed over the Azerbaijani forces in Aghdam, eventually forcing them to retreat. On July 23, units of the Artsakh Defense Army entered the city.

As a result of the military operation in Aghdam, the threat of artillery shelling of Stepanakert, Askeran, and nearby villages was to be eliminated. The enemy experienced a moral and psychological blow.