BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 20. The local anti-terror measures carried out by the Republic of Azerbaijan on September 19, 2023, were not only a military operation but also an exercise of sovereign rights based on international law and the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020. These measures represented a political and security decision to restore constitutional order and ensure peace in the region.
Prior to the operation, Armenia and separatist groups in Karabakh engaged in systematic provocations, including the illegal deployment of Armenian armed forces, frequent shelling of Azerbaijani positions, and continued claims of “independence” through so-called “parliamentary elections.” Such actions posed a direct threat to Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and undermined regional stability.
The trilateral statement signed by Azerbaijan, Russia, and Armenia on November 10, 2020, served as a legal basis for halting hostilities and shaping a new security framework. One of its core provisions, the withdrawal of Armenian armed formations, remained unfulfilled for three years, while new weapons and military infrastructure were instead introduced into the region. These violations compelled Azerbaijan to invoke its right of self-defense under international law.
For years, the illegal separatist regime entrenched in Karabakh, on the internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan, sought to portray itself as a legitimate governing authority, in defiance of the country’s constitutional system. It established sham institutions such as a “president,” a “parliament,” and a “court,” posing a direct challenge to the Constitution and statehood of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In these circumstances, the state’s foremost duty was to uphold its legal order across every part of its sovereign territory.
The terrorist attack carried out by Armenian armed units on September 19, 2023, marked a continuation of Yerevan’s long-standing policy of orchestrated violence against Azerbaijan. On that day, a mine planted in advance by reconnaissance and sabotage groups along the Ahmadbayli–Fuzuli–Shusha highway struck a vehicle of the Azerbaijan State Highways Agency, killing civilians. Hours later, another mine targeting a vehicle carrying servicemen of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs left Azerbaijani soldiers dead and wounded. These deliberate acts of terror left Azerbaijan with no choice but to act. To stop the provocations, enforce the provisions of the Trilateral Declaration, and restore the country’s constitutional order, local antiterror measures were launched in Karabakh.
The one-day anti-terror measures conducted by the Azerbaijani Army on September 19–20, 2023, brought about the complete restoration of national sovereignty. In the course of these swift and decisive operations, the majority of the enemy’s weapons and military equipment were neutralized. Within just 23 hours and 43 minutes, Armenian separatist forces were compelled to raise the white flag. Following an appeal from representatives of the Armenian residents of Karabakh, conveyed through the Russian peacekeeping contingent, a full ceasefire was established and operations were suspended.
This rapid campaign, concluded on September 20, once again demonstrated the courage, discipline, and professionalism of the Azerbaijani Army in fulfilling all assigned tasks. Marking another historic victory, the operation ensured that the sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan was firmly and irreversibly reestablished. Today, as a symbol of that triumph, the National Flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan proudly waves across all liberated territories, standing as a testament to the unity and determination of the Azerbaijani people.