The military vehicles of the Azerbaijani army have been moving in the direction of the Kalbajar district from the village of Toghana, Goygol district, as well Dashkasan district since the morning of Nov.25, the head of the press service of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry Vagif Dargahli said, QİA.AZ reports.
According to Dargahli, to ensure the movement of the Azerbaijani military units in this direction, engineering work has been completed, mine clearance work is being carried out and difficult mountain roads are being prepared along the route of the troops movement.
“Kalbajar is located in a mountainous area, the maximum height of which exceeds 3500 meters. The territory of Kalbajar will be taken under the control of the Azerbaijani army in these difficult conditions. The units will firstly enter the areas along the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border and take positions at heights. The next direction identified by the trilateral statement will be announced later. “
In accordance with the above statement signed by the Azerbaijani president, the Russian president, and the Armenian prime minister, units of the Azerbaijani army entered the Kalbajar district on November 25.
The district was kept under occupation by the Armed Forces of Armenia since April 3, 1993.
In 2020, the military confrontation between the occupying Armenian forces and Azerbaijan has intensified. Back in July 2020, the Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan’s Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan’s retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian Armed Forces.
Further, the Armenian Armed Forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front.
Following over a month of military action to liberate its territories from Armenian occupation, Azerbaijan has pushed Armenia to sign the surrender document. A joint statement on the matter was made by the Azerbaijani president, Armenia’s PM, and the president of Russia.
A complete ceasefire and a cessation of all hostilities in the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were introduced at 00:00 hours (Moscow time) on 10 November 2020