AZE.US
Azerbaijan marks Armed Forces Day on June 26.
This year marks the 108th anniversary of the establishment of the Azerbaijani Army.
On June 26, 1918, by a decision of the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the Separate Corps was established as the country’s first regular military unit. In the years that followed, military leaders such as Samad bey Mehmandarov, Aliagha Shikhlinski and other prominent commanders played an important role in building Azerbaijan’s national army.
After restoring its state independence, Azerbaijan faced a severe crisis in the military sphere. Amid the war over Karabakh, the country did not yet have a fully formed regular army, while the material and technical supply of the troops remained one of the main challenges.
Despite these difficulties, Azerbaijan gradually began moving from volunteer battalions toward a regular army. Steps were taken to strengthen military discipline, organize conscription and introduce partial mobilization. The military parade held in Baku on October 9, 1992, became an important event in terms of increasing public confidence in the army and strengthening the spirit of patriotism.
The foundations of professional army building were laid in late 1993. Illegal armed formations were disbanded, a unified command structure was created, and disorder in the military sphere gradually gave way to systematic work aimed at forming a regular army.
After the ceasefire agreement reached in May 1994, a new stage began in the development of the Armed Forces. Army building became one of the key areas of state policy.
On May 22, 1998, by a decree signed by national leader Heydar Aliyev, June 26 was declared Armed Forces Day in Azerbaijan.
In the following years, under President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan continued strengthening its army, developing the defense industry, modernizing its weapons and improving the system of military personnel training.
In the fall of 2020, the Azerbaijani Army, under the leadership of Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, carried out successful military operations during the 44-day Patriotic War. As a result, the occupied territories were liberated and Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity was restored.
On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched local anti-terror measures in the Karabakh economic region. The operation lasted slightly more than 23 hours and ended with the restoration of Azerbaijan’s constitutional order throughout the country’s territory.
Today, the Azerbaijani Army is regarded as one of the main symbols of the country’s statehood, independence and national security./Report.az
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