Azerbaijan is marking the sixth anniversary of its historic victory in the Second Karabakh War, celebrated as Victory Day.

Axar.az reports that Victory Day was established by a decree signed by President and Victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev on December 3, 2020.

On September 27, 2020, the Azerbaijani Army launched the Patriotic War in response to Armenia's provocations and another military aggression. The operation aimed to liberate the country's territories from occupation, compel Armenia to make peace, implement the requirements of UN Security Council resolutions, enable internally displaced persons to return to their native lands and restore justice.

The entire Azerbaijani people mobilized and united in pursuit of this cause.

During the 44-day war, the Azerbaijani Army liberated five cities, four settlements and 286 villages from occupation.

Specifically, the liberated territories included the city of Jabrayil and 90 villages in the district; the city of Fuzuli and 53 villages; the city of Zangilan, the settlements of Minjivan, Aghband and Bartaz, and 52 villages; the settlement of Hadrut and 35 villages in the Khojavend district; three villages in the Tartar district; the city of Gubadli and 41 villages in the district; nine villages in the Khojaly district; the city of Shusha; and three villages in the Lachin district.

In addition, several strategic heights in the Aghdara and Murovdag directions were liberated. In Zangilan, these included the Bartaz, Sygirt and Shukurataz heights, as well as five unnamed strategic heights.

Azerbaijan's military victories, particularly the liberation of Shusha from enemy occupation, played a decisive role in the outcome of the war. Armenia's acknowledgment of its defeat led to its capitulation and forced it to return the Kalbajar, Aghdam and Lachin districts to Azerbaijan.

On the night of November 9-10, 2020, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a trilateral statement on a complete ceasefire and the cessation of all military operations in the conflict zone.

This brought an end to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.