Azerbaijan's Aliyev announces liberation of Agbend from Armenian occupiers

Azerbaijan established outposts on Iranian border liberated from Armenia's occupation.

The Azerbaijani flag was hoisted at Soltanli, Khalafli, Khudafarin, and Gumlag outposts in Jabrayil and Zangilan districts and Azerbaijani soldiers started to work there.

On Oct. 22, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had announced that border between Azerbaijan and Iran was completely secured after the liberation of the Agbend settlement.

Announcing the liberation of the border line, Aliyev had congratulated the people of Iran for being alongside Azerbaijani people.

Since clashes erupted Sept. 27, Armenia has repeatedly attacked Azerbaijani civilians and forces, even violating three humanitarian cease-fires since Oct. 10.

To date, at least 91 civilians, including 11 children, and 27 women, have been killed in Armenian attacks, according to Azerbaijan's Chief Prosecutor's Office.

About 400 people, including at least 14 infants, 36 children, and 101 women, have also been injured in the attacks.

At least 2,442 homes, 92 apartment buildings, and 428 public buildings have been damaged and become unusable, the authority also said.

UPPER KARABAKH CONFLICT

Relations between the two former Soviet republics have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Upper Karabakh, or Nagorno-Karabakh, an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

Four UN Security Council resolutions and two from the UN General Assembly, as well as international organizations, demand the "immediate complete and unconditional withdrawal of the occupying forces" from the occupied Azerbaijani territory.

About 20% of Azerbaijan's territory-including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions-has been under illegal Armenian occupation for nearly three decades.

A cease-fire, however, was agreed to in 1994.

World powers, including Russia, France, and the United States, have called for a sustainable cease-fire. Turkey, meanwhile, has supported Baku's right to self-defense and demanded the withdrawal of Armenia's occupying forces.