Operation Horadiz

The Armenians, who captured Gubadly in late August 1993, declared a ceasefire because they needed to regroup and had to wait for new weapons and troops to arrive from Armenia. In late October, Armenian troops quickly captured Horadiz on the Azerbaijani-Iranian border, cutting off Zangilan's connection to Azerbaijani territory.{{cite book|last1=Furman|first1=Dmitriy|title=Азербайджан и Россия: общества и государства|date=2001|publisher=Летний сад|page=449}} Zangilan finally fell in 29 October 1993 into Armenian hands.{{Cite web|url=https://apa.az/en/xeber/domestic-news/-110103|title=16 years pass since occupation of Zengilan region of Azerbaijan by Armenians}}

In December 1993, Armenian armed forces attempted to move east of Fuzuli, but encountered unexpected resistance and were forced to retreat. After that, the Azerbaijani army attacked in three directions.{{cite book|last1=de Vaal|first1=Tomas|title=Qara bağ|date=2005|publisher=BBC|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/russian/in_depth/newsid_4685000/4685081.stm|access-date=26 August 2016}} On December 15, Azerbaijani military immediately attacked in five directions — Fuzuli District, Khojavend, Agdam, Mardakert and Kalbajar. The attack on north-east of Nagorno-Karabakh forced the Armenians to leave a number of settlements in Mardakert district. The main blows of Azerbaijani troops to Horadiz came from Beylagan District. The battle had spread to the steppe. Under these conditions, Azerbaijani units destroyed the Armenian defenses and began to advance inside the Fuzuli under cannon fire and missile artillery.{{cite book|last1=Jiroxov|first1=Mixail|title=Семена распада: войны и конфликты на территории бывшего СССР|date=2012|publisher=БХВ-Петербург|location=Sankt-Peterburq|isbn=978-5-9775-0817-9|pages=278–279}} In early January 1994, Azerbaijanis seized 11 villages and 40 kilometers of Azerbaijani-Iranian border.

According to the Azerbaijani side, on January 5, the 702nd Brigade, which took part in the Horadiz operation, captured 3 tanks, 1 Shturm-S, 6 artillery pieces, 6 artillery trailers, about 10 vehicles, a large number of weapons and ammunition.{{cite web|title=İlahi adlar yurdu - Cəbrayıl-1|url=http://www.anl.az/down/meqale/bizim_yol/2011/dekabr/221487.htm|website=www.anl.az|access-date=26 August 2016}} The enemy retreated, suffering heavy casualties and leaving their dead on the battlefield. Captain Elkhan Zulfugarov of the 702nd Regiment, who died in combat at Shukyurbeyli near Horadiz, was posthumously awarded the title of National Hero of Azerbaijan.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

On January 6 or January 8 the 702nd Regiment broke through Armenian resistance, fought and entered Horadiz, captured the settlement, Horadiz Railway Station and Khodaafarin Bridges, an important strategic target on the Aras. The operation was led by Shair Ramaldanov. Horadiz was an important crossroads of Jabrayil, Gubadly, Zangilan districts in the west and Fuzuli in the north.{{cite book|last1=Çernyavskiy|first1=Stanislav|title=Новый путь Азербайджана|date=2002|publisher=Азер-Медиа, Книга и бизнес|location=Moskva|isbn=5-212-00916-2|page=137}}

Afghan Mujahideen, who arrived in the fall of 1993, also took part in the Azerbaijani attack. According to some reports, the training of the Mujahideen was higher than that of regular Azerbaijani army, and they played a key role in the capture of Horadiz by Azerbaijani army.{{cite book|title=Azerbaijan: Seven years of conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh|date=1994|page=79|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4ipKwifQaNIC&q=The+Afghans+first+arrived+in+Azerbaijan+in+the+fall+of+1993%2C+after+the+Azerbaijani+deputy+foreign+minister+Rovshan+Jivadov+traveled+to+Afghanistan+and+arranged+with+then+Prime+Minister+Gulbiddin+Hekmatyar+for+Afghan+fighters+to+come+to+Azerbaijan&pg=PA79 |access-date=26 August 2016|publisher =Human Rights Watch}}

As a result of the operation, Horadiz village, 20 villages of Fuzuli district and Jojug Marjanli village of Jabrayil District came under the control of Azerbaijan.{{cite web|title=Вынужденные переселенцы впервые за последние 23 года побывали в освобожденном от армян селе|url=http://report.az/ru/nagornyj-karabakh/vynuzhdennye-pereselency-vpervye-posle-23-let-pobyvali-v-o/|website=report.az|access-date=26 August 2016}} Operation Horadiz was the most successful operation conducted by the Azerbaijani Army during the 1994 winter campaign.{{cite web|title=Ordumuz erməni bayrağını ayaqlar altına belə atmışdı|url=http://oxu.az/war/110240|website=oxu.az|date=5 January 2016|access-date=26 August 2016}}{{cite web|title=Status-kvonun dəyişməməsi müharibə ehtimalını artırır|url=http://www.anl.az/down/meqale/azerbaycan/2012/dekabr/285733.htm|website=www.anl.az|access-date=26 August 2016}} Eight participants were awarded the title of National Hero of Azerbaijan for their heroism in the operation.{{cite web|last1=Sultanov|first1=Ziyəddin|title="Horadiz əməliyyatı":Azad olunan doğma torpaq|url=http://www.anl.az/down/meqale/xalqqazeti/2015/yanvar/412527.htm|website=www.anl.az|access-date=26 August 2016}}

According to Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani forces took control of 21,000 hectares. On January 5, 1994, Azerbaijani Army soldiers entered Horadiz and planted the Azerbaijani flag in Horadiz.{{cite web|title=Horadiz əməliyyatının iştirakçısı: "Xeyli dostum şəhid oldu..."|url=http://news.lent.az/news/227587|website=news.lent.az|publisher=news.lent.az|access-date=26 August 2016}}

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{{Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict}}

Category:Military operations of the First Nagorno-Karabakh War

Category:1993 in Azerbaijan

Horadiz

Horadiz