Azerbaijan's Aliyev visits recently liberated Aghdam
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (R) and his wife Mihriban Aliyeva visit a mosque in Aghdam on Nov. 23, 2020 (AA Photo)


On Monday Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev visited the province of Aghdam, which was recently liberated following 27 years of illegal Armenian occupation.

In videos shared on Instagram by Aliyev's wife and the country's first vice president, Mehriban Aliyeva, President Aliyev can be seen making the trip in his own vehicle.

The president said in the footage that the couple was en route to Aghdam.

He also added that the Azerbaijani army had managed to liberate Aghdam from Armenian occupation without firing a single bullet.

Emphasizing that they had defeated the enemy on the battlefield and forced them to withdraw from Aghdam, Aliyev said that the Armenian forces had established several defense lines in the region.

Ilham Aliyev showed the villages left in ruins, underlining it was something the whole world should see.

Aliyev, noting that there was not a single solid structure left standing, emphasized that the Armenian government would be held accountable for the war crimes it committed.

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, a territory recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

New clashes erupted on Sept. 27 and the Armenian army continued attacks on civilians and Azerbaijani forces, even violating humanitarian cease-fire agreements for 44 days.

Baku liberated several cities and nearly 300 settlements and villages from the Armenian occupation during this time.

On Nov. 10, the two countries signed a Russia-brokered agreement to end fighting and work toward a comprehensive resolution.

The truce is seen as a victory for Azerbaijan, and a defeat for Armenia.