Observer Report
Baku
Azerbaijan declared a major breakthrough in its war with Armenia on Sunday. They claimed to have captured a key strategic town in the disputed region of Nagorno Karabakh.
Azeri forces said they had taken Shusha, a hilltop town deep inside Nagorno Karabakh that used to be the main stronghold of ethnic Azeris in the region. It gives them a key vantage point from which to begin a bombardment and siege of the breakaway republic’s capital, Stepanakert, which lies nine miles away in the valley below.
President Ilham Aliyev, addressing the nation on Sunday said that his country’s forces had liberated Shusha, the second-largest city in the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave after 28 years.
“It is with great pride that I declare that the city of Shusha has been liberated from occupation! Shusha is ours! Karabakh is ours! I cordially congratulate all the people of Azerbaijan on this occasion! I cordially congratulate all the people of Shusha!”
“With great pride and joy, I inform you that the town of Shusha has been liberated,” he said, in an address in which he appeared in military uniform. His speech prompted street celebrations in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, where flag-waving crowds gathered.
Aliyev said that “November 8, 2020 will remain in Azerbaijan’s history”.
He attributed Azerbaijan’s success in liberating its territories to Azerbaijani soldiers and the unity of the Azerbaijani people, reports Azernews.
The head of state said: “Giving this good news to the people of Azerbaijan on this historic day is perhaps one of the happiest days of my life. Dear Shusha, you are liberated! Dear Shusha, we are back! Dear Shusha we will revive you! Shusha isours! Karabakh is ours! Karabakh is Azerbaijan!”
The president said that over 200 villages, cities, settlements have been liberated from the Armenian occupation since September 28. Aliyev noted that the liberated lands had been completely destroyed under the Armenian occupation.
The city, called Shushi by Armenians, is of cultural and strategic importance to both sides and is located 15 kilometers south of the enclave’s largest city Stepanakert.
At least 1,000 people have died in nearly six weeks of fighting in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous enclave internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but populated and controlled by ethnic Armenians.
