Azerbaijan Commemorates Lachin City Day on August 26

Baku, The Gulf Observer: Azerbaijan officially marked August 26 as Lachin City Day, commemorating the city’s return to Azerbaijani control, NHC reported. This date also recognizes the liberation of the villages of Zabukh and Sus, which came under Azerbaijani authority on the same day in 2022.

The establishment of Lachin City Day follows a decree issued by President Ilham Aliyev on July 31, 2022, which instituted city days for various regions liberated during the Patriotic War. The decree designates August 26 as a day of solemn celebration for Lachin, a city of significant historical and strategic importance.

Azerbaijan’s victory in the Patriotic War was solidified not only on the battlefield but also at the political level. The trilateral statement signed after the war’s conclusion led to Armenia’s withdrawal from several occupied regions, including Lachin, Aghdam, and Kalbajar. Lachin region was formally handed over to Azerbaijan on December 1, 2020. However, due to the Lachin corridor passing through the city, it remained under the temporary control of the Russian peacekeeping contingent.

On August 26, 2022, following the completion of an alternative route, the Azerbaijani Army moved into Lachin city, reclaiming it alongside the villages of Zabukh and Sus. The Azerbaijani flag was raised in Lachin, symbolizing the city’s reintegration into Azerbaijan.

Lachin City Day serves as a reminder of Azerbaijan’s steadfast commitment to sovereignty and territorial integrity, with the day being observed with due reverence and national pride across the country.