Tokyo, 4 October, /AJMEDIA/
In the autumn of 2020, under the leadership of the President, Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijan National Army repelled the enemy attack and launched a counter-attack. Due to the bravery of our soldiers, one after the other settlements and strategic heights in the direction of Fuzuli and Jabrayil came under the control of the Azerbaijani Army.
On the 8th day of the Patriotic War, on October 4, President Ilham Aliyev’s address filled the hearts of Azerbaijanis living all over the world with pride and joy. It was impossible to listen to that appeal without excitement: “…Today the people of Azerbaijan are in joy. I would like to list the names of settlements that were liberated today to the people of Jabrayl and all the people of Azerbaijan. Today, the glorious Azerbaijan Army liberated the following settlements: Jabrayil city, Karkhulu village, Shukurbeyli village, Yukhari Maralyan village, Cheraken village, Dashkasan village, Horovlu village, Decal village, Mahmudlu village, Jafarabad village.
The news about the liberation of the city of Gabriel was the first good news about the cleansing of cities from Armenian invaders on the way to the Great Victory.
The restoration of the 130-kilometer Azerbaijan-Iran border was also ensured with the liberation of Jabrayil district located on the banks of the Araz River.
Today, four years have passed since that unforgettable date. On August 23, 1993, the city of Jabrayil was occupied by the armed forces of Armenia. The region with an area of 1050 square kilometers was invaded by Armenian bandits. At that time, 52,604 people lived in the district, which consisted of one city, 4 settlements and 92 villages.
Last year, on July 31, President Ilham Aliyev signed the Decree “On the establishment of city days in the liberated territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan”. According to the Decree aimed at perpetuating the historical Victory won in the Patriotic War, October 4 will be solemnly celebrated every year as the Day of the City of Gabriel.
As in other occupied regions of Azerbaijan, in Jabrayil region, Armenians can be seen with acts of inhumane vandalism. During the occupation, the residential areas of Jabrayil district were completely destroyed, and historical and religious monuments were razed to the ground.
It is worth reminding that Jabrayil region has always been in the center of attention due to its strategic importance. Only three months after Great Leader Heydar Aliyev’s return to power in Azerbaijan, on January 5, 1994, as a result of the Horadiz operation, the village of Jojug Marjanli of the region was freed from occupation. In 2016, during the April battles, the liberation of the Lalatepa hill near the village of Cojug Marjanli from occupation created conditions for living in that village.
Liberation of the city of Jabrayil from the Armenian occupation created a third opportunity for the Azerbaijani Army to conduct military operations in the direction of the southern villages of the Khojavand region and the strategic settlement of Hadrut. As a result of the 44-day long Patriotic War, the liberation of the occupied lands of Azerbaijan from Armenian separatists became possible as a result of the heroism of our Army.
At present, major reconstruction and restoration works are being continued in Jabrayil district, the necessary infrastructure is being created for residents to live prosperously in their native places. President Ilham Aliyev makes regular visits to the Jabrayil region, gets familiar with the work being done, participates in the groundbreaking and opening ceremonies, and gives relevant assignments and recommendations.
Numerous projects are planned to be implemented in Jabrayil district under the “I State Program on the Great Return to the territories freed from occupation of the Republic of Azerbaijan” approved by the Decree of the President of Azerbaijan dated November 16, 2022. President Ilham Aliyev visited the liberated Jabrayil district several times, participated in the foundation laying ceremonies of various facilities and got acquainted with the construction of facilities.
Large-scale construction works are now underway in Jabrayl, which has been freed from occupation. On September 26 of this year, migration to Jabrayil city began. The city has already welcomed its first residents. So far, 133 families, a total of 433 people, have returned to their ancestral home and started living in comfortable, spacious and bright apartments built there.
Vugar Aghayev