Battle of Aghdam

Battle of Aghdam
Part of the First Nagorno-Karabakh War
Date 12 June – 23 July 1993 Location Agdam, Azerbaijan Result Armenian victory
Belligerents
Armenia Nagorno-Karabakh Republic	Azerbaijan
Commanders and leaders
Samvel Babayan Anatoly Zinevich Vitaly Balasanyan Monte Melkonian †[1]	Talib Mammadov
Strength
6,000 troops, 1 squadron of Mi-24's ~ 60 tanks[citation needed]	6,000 troops, unknown number of tanks, armoured fighting vehicles and Mi-24 helicopters[citation needed]
Casualties and losses
unknown	unknown
~130,000 civilians displaced[2]

The Battle of Aghdam (June – July 1993) – took place on 23 July 1993 in the context of the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, during which Armenian forces captured the large Azerbaijani city of Agdam. The Armenian advancement was conducted with numerous violations of the rules of war, including the forcible exodus of the civilian population, indiscriminate fire and hostage-taking.^{[citation needed]}

Background[]

Following Operation Goranboy in 1992, the Azeri forces lost the control of the territory of former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast by mid-1993. During the military rebellion in Ganja by Colonel Surat Huseynov followed by political turmoil in Baku in June 1993, Huseynov pulled his forces back from the Karabakh front and marched on Baku.^[3] The Armenian forces advanced on Agdam. The city of Agdam is about 30 km northeast of Stepanakert. Azerbaijanis in Agdam and Armenians in Stepanakert and Askeran would exchange heavy artillery fire.^[4] The shelling of Agdam became more intense starting from early March 1993.^[5]

Battle[]

The battle of Agdam started on June 12 from north and south of Agdam using Grad missile launchers, heavy artillery and tanks. The campaign also included simultaneous assault on Tartar.^[6] The first attack on the city was repelled by Azerbaijani defense. The clash was marked by the death of Monte Melkonian, a famed Armenian military commander.^[7] Armenians were able to capture Farukh mountain 10 km away from Agdam overlooking the town from the northeast. Khydyrly village around which Azerbaijani forces took up positions fell next.

The Armenian advancement was conducted with numerous violations of the rules of war, including the forcible exodus of the civilian population, indiscriminate fire and hostage-taking.^{[citation needed]}

Aftermath[]

Despite the national mobilization, Azerbaijani forces were able to retake only a few villages but not the city.^[8]

Following the battle of Aghdam, on July 25 ceasefire was announced by Armenian authorities and Azerbaijani government.^[4] In the course of next three months, Armenians occupied four new Azerbaijani districts of Qubadli, Jabrayil, Fizuli and Zangelan resulting in displacement of 350000 of Azerbaijani civilians.^{[citation needed]}

Several villages such as Chirakhly and the city of Agdam became ghost towns. Other villages of the Agdam Rayon were repopulated by the IDPs from the former NKAO.^[9]

See also[]

• United Nations Security Council Resolution 853
• Operation Goranboy

References[]