Battle of Aghdam

Battle of Aghdam
Part of the Nagorno-Karabakh War
Date12 June – 23 July 1993
LocationAghdam, Nagorno-Karabakh
Result Decisive Armenian victory
Belligerents
Armenia
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic		 Azerbaijan
Commanders and leaders
Samvel Babayan
Anatoly Zinevich
Vitaly Balasanyan		 Talib Mammadov
Strength
6,000 troops,
1 squadron of Mi-24's
~ 60 tanks		 6,000 troops,
unknown number of tanks, armoured fighting vehicles and Mi-24 helicopters
Casualties and losses
11 unknown

The Battle of Aghdam (June – July 1993) – took place on 23 July 1993 in the context of the Nagorno-Karabakh War, during which Armenian forces captured the city of Aghdam.

Background

Following Operation Goranboy in 1992, the Azeri forces lost the control of the territory of former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast by mid-1993. During the military coup in Ganja by Colonel Surat Huseynov followed by political turmoil in Baku in June 1993, Huseynov pulled his forces back from the Karabakh front and marched on Baku.[1] The Armenian forces advanced on Agdam. The city of Agdam is about 30 km northeast of Stepanakert. Azerbaijanis in Agdam and Armenians in Stepanakert and Askeran would exchange heavy artillery fire.[2] The shelling of Agdam became more intense starting from early March 1993.[3]

Battle

The occupation of Agdam started on June 12 from north and south of Agdam using Grad missile lanchers, heavy artillery and tanks. The campaign also included simultaneous assault on Tartar.[4] The first attack on the city was repelled by Azerbaijani defense. The clash was marked by the death of Monte Melkonian, a famed Armenian military commander.[5] Armenians were able to capture Farukh mountain 10 km away from Agdam overlooking the town from the northeast. Khydyrly village around which Azerbaijani forces took up positions fell next. Shelling of Qiyasli village situated several kilometers behind the city of Agdam to the east, started on June 20 and within three days was overrun by Armenian forces. At the same time, the Armenian forces moved towards the city from the south occupying Merzili and Yusifcanlı villages. By July 5, the city of Agdam was surrounded by Armenian forces and was subject to heavy artillery and Grad bombardment.[6] The city of Agdam fell on July 23.

Aftermath

Despite the national mobilization, Azerbaijani forces were able to retake only a few villages but not the city.[6] Today the city lies in ruins and is used by the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army as a vital strategic defense point.

Following the battle of Aghdam, on July 25 ceasefire was announced by Armenian authorities and Azerbaijani government.[2] In the course of next three months, Armenians occupied four new Azerbaijani districts of Qubadli, Jabrayil, Fizuli and Zangelan resulting in displacement of 250,000–300,000 Azerbaijani civilians.[2]

Several villages such as Chirakhly and the city of Agdam became ghost towns. Other villages of the Agdam Rayon were repopulated by the IDPs from the former NKAO.[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ De Waal, Thomas (2003). Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan Through Peace and War. New York: New York University Press. p. 213. ISBN 0-8147-1944-9.
  2. 1 2 3 Azerbaijan: Seven years of conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. New York. Washington. Los Angeles. London. Brussels: Human Right Watch. 1994. pp. 35–54. ISBN 1-56432-142-8.
  3. ↑ Denber, Rachel; Goldman, Robert K. (1994). Bloodshed in the Caucasus: escalation of the armed conflict in Nagorno Karabakh. The United States of America: Human Right Watch. p. 33. ISBN 1-56432-081-2.
  4. ↑ Van der Leeuw, Charles (1998). Azerbaijan: a quest for identity : a short history. St. Martin Press. p. 180. ISBN 0-312-21903-2.
  5. ↑ Huberta von Voss // Portraits of hope: Armenians in the contemporary world // p 242(340) Berghahn Books, 2007 ISBN 1-84545-257-7, ISBN 978-1-84545-257-5.
  6. 1 2 "2 Caucasus Regions Sinking Deeper Into Civil War". The New York Times. 1993-07-06. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
  7. ↑ "Azerbaijan: Life on the Frontlines". Eurasia.net. 2007-07-05. Retrieved 2010-05-10.

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