Today marks the 108th anniversary of the liberation of Baku by the Caucasus Islamic Army from Armenian-Bolshevik forces.

Axar.az recalls that on September 15, 1918, Azerbaijani and Turkish troops liberated Baku from Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation, marking a glorious chapter in Azerbaijan’s history.

The liberation brought an end to Armenian and Bolshevik control over Baku and surrounding areas, helping secure Azerbaijan’s independence.

Despite declaring independence in May 1918, Azerbaijan was unable to fully establish control over its territory, with Baku and surrounding areas remaining under Armenian-Bolshevik control.

At the time, the newly independent and internationally unrecognized Azerbaijani state lacked sufficient resources to secure its territorial integrity. Under these circumstances, despite facing its own severe difficulties, Ottoman Turkiye sent military forces to Azerbaijan under the command of Nuru Pasha to help ensure the country’s territorial integrity.

Despite opposition from European powers to the deployment of Turkish troops to Azerbaijan, the Ottoman Empire fulfilled this historic mission in August and September 1918.

On September 15, the Caucasus Islamic Army and the Azerbaijani Corps liberated Baku from the occupying forces. Following the historic event, the government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic moved its capital from Ganja to Baku.