Azerbaijan liberates 23 villages from Armenian occupation

Azerbaijan’s president on Monday announced that his country’s troops liberated 23 more villages from the Armenian occupation.

Among the villages that were liberated are Gobu Dilagarda, Yal Pirahmetli, Yuxari Yaglivend, Dilagarda, Seyid Mahmudlu and Elesgerli villages of Fuzuli province; Demirchiler, Chanagchi, Medetkend, Signaq villages of Khojaly; Susanlig, Doni, Tug, Akaku and Azikh villages of Khojavend province; Huseynalilar, Soyudlu and Ashagi Sirik villages of Jabrayil, Yukhari Mollu, Ashagi Mollu and Khojik villages of Gubadli, Kechikli and Ordekli villages of Zengilan province, Ilham Aliyev said on Twitter.

Azerbaijani army have liberated five cities, three towns and nearly 240 villages as well as some strategic hills from Armenian forces' occupation since it launched operation in Nagorno-Karabakh region on Sept. 27.

Relations between the two former Soviet republics over Upper Karabakh, also known as Nagorno-Karabakh, have remained tense since 1991, but fresh clashes broke out on Sept. 27.

Since then, Armenia has repeatedly attacked Azerbaijani civilians and forces, even violating three humanitarian cease-fire agreements.

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

While world powers have called for a sustainable cease-fire, Turkey has supported Baku's right to self-defense and demanded the withdrawal of Armenia's occupying forces.

Multiple UN resolutions also call for the unconditional withdrawal of the invading forces.

* Writing by Dilan Pamuk in Ankara