Azerbaijan’s Journey from Liberation to Lasting Peace – 6 Years of Victory

Azerbaijan, on the eve of the 44-day Patriotic War, pays tribute to the martyrs and reaffirms the ideals of peace, reconstruction and cooperation among countries.

September 27 is the day of the beginning of the 44-day Patriotic War that put an end to the occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan and changed the history of the South Caucasus. The day is a day of memory for the Azerbaijanis and a day of pride for their Armed Forces and leadership.

The Armed Forces of Azerbaijan have responded with retaliatory measures against repeated military provocation by the Armed Forces of Armenia on September 27, 2020. It was carried out with Azerbaijan’s right to self-defense and in full compliance with international humanitarian law. It was meant to put an end to Armenia’s ongoing military aggression and to save the civilian population that had been living for many years under the occupation.

The End of 30 Years Occupation

After nearly three decades of Armenian military aggression on Azerbaijan’s sovereign territory was ended during the Patriotic War. It upheld Azerbaijan’s internationally recognised borders and restored the fundamental rights of almost one million Azerbaijanis who had been forced from their homes. Azerbaijan, on its own, and with its own determination and effort, has implemented the UN Security Council resolutions of 1993, which long ago demanded the withdrawal of occupying forces, but were never enforced for nearly 30 years.

The Azerbaijani Army’s victory was the result of the courage and professionalism of President Ilham Aliyev, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan. His firm and steady leadership during the war and post-war diplomacy paved the way of a new chapter in Azerbaijan’s history and made the principle of international justice come alive.

Pakistan: Brother of Steadfastness

During all this turmoil, Pakistan extended its heartfelt support to Azerbaijan. In the second Karabakh war, the firm political stance and clear statements of Pakistan’s top leaders on the Azeri side of the just position provided the Azerbaijani people with additional strength and confidence. This unity is the result of a strong brotherhood between the two countries, based on common religious beliefs, history, and mutual respect, which is evident in their current strategic partnership.

Restoring Full Sovereignty

On 19–20 September 2023, Azerbaijan carried out counter-terrorism operations in Karabakh region in just 24 hours to eliminate the illegal and provocative Armenian armed groups and ensure the full sovereignty of the state over all its territories.

When these lands were liberated, the amount of damage over 30 years was seen. The collected evidence and presented to the international community shows the extensive mining of Azerbaijani land, deliberate demolition and appropriation of Azerbaijan’s historical, cultural and religious heritage, the plundering of natural resources and destruction of infrastructure. Azerbaijan remains to demand Armenia’s compliance with its international obligations and international humanitarian and human rights law in this regard.

Rebuilding Karabakh and East Zangezur

Right after the historic win, Azerbaijan has embarked on one of the most ambitious reconstruction programs in its modern history. In the Karabakh and East Zangezur regions new roads, airports, power networks, residential and public services were constructed from scratch. A thousand families have already returned to their homeland, the land where they were expelled a generation ago, under the “Great Return” programme. The rebuilding of once-wrecked towns and villages is a testament to a nation that refused to wallow in the wreckage and is rising from it.

A Peace Leader

The war and its battlefield victory have been followed by a vigorous work towards peace. Azerbaijan has always pursued a peace policy and believes that peace and prosperity in the region can be achieved only through dialogue and partnership.

These efforts culminated in a historic step on 8th August 2025, when President Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan, the Prime Minister of Armenia, signed a Joint Declaration in Washington, D.C, and initialed the document of a peace agreement, signed in the presence of the United States. The step was to end one of the longest in the post-Soviet space.

The signing of the peace agreement opens up opportunities beyond the two nations. The South Caucasus may be a region of conflict, but it could also prove to be a region of connectivity and commerce with the development of new transport and trade corridors between Asia and Europe. The prosperity of the region will not only benefit the peoples within its borders but will also benefit the regional geography and peaceful relations between Azerbaijan and other countries of the region, including those that share Azerbaijan’s vision of regional integration, like Pakistan.

Honouring the Martyrs

The people of Azerbaijan are commemorating the martyrs’ memory with respect, consideration and memory on this important day, remembering with deep respect and gratitude the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of their homeland. Their sacrifice has paved the path for the historic win and their legacy remains in all the renovated houses, all the families that came back and in every step taken towards a peaceful and prosperous future of Azerbaijan.

Six years later, Azerbaijan is an independent country, building up the liberated territories with vision and effort and offering a hand of peace to its neighbours. This is a record to be recognised.