Azerbaijan Celebrates Armed Forces Day
Baku, The Gulf Observer: Azerbaijan marked the Armed Forces Day on Friday, celebrating the establishment of its national army 106 years ago, media reports.
Following the foundation of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic (ADR) on May 28, 1918, the country initiated the creation of its national army to safeguard the interests of the nascent state. The Azerbaijani Armed Forces were officially established in Ganja on June 26, 1918, by the decision of the Parliament of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. As the first democratic republic of the East, Azerbaijan implemented reforms across various sectors, including the armed forces, education, and religious freedoms. The Declaration of Independence ensured equal rights for all citizens, irrespective of race, religion, sect, or gender.
Despite the ADR being toppled by the Soviet Union nearly two years after its establishment, the state successfully formed its national army on June 26, 1918, immediately following its declaration of independence.
Upon Azerbaijan’s incorporation into the Soviet Union in 1920, its armed forces were integrated into the Soviet military. However, following the dissolution of the USSR and the restoration of Azerbaijan’s independence in 1991, the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan adopted a decision on October 9, 1991, to re-establish the Azerbaijani army.
On May 22, 1998, Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev decreed June 26 as Armed Forces Day, making it a non-working day.
Today, Azerbaijan is recognized as the most powerful state in the South Caucasus, both in terms of combat capability and material and technical resources. The structure of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces includes the Land Forces, Air Forces, Air Defense Forces, and Naval Forces. Armed Forces Day is celebrated with immense joy and pride throughout the country. Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the esteemed Azerbaijani Army successfully liberated Karabakh, a historical and eternal land, from three decades of Armenian occupation.
