Aras Valley campaign
Aras Valley campaign (Azerbaijani: Araz vadisi əməliyyatları, Armenian: Արասի հովտի արշավ, romanized: Arasi hovti arshav) was a military operation launched by Azerbaijan against the breakaway Republic of Artsakh along the Aras River in the Azerbaijan–Iran border during the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War.
Aras Valley campaign | |||||||||
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Part of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War | |||||||||
Map of the campaign as of 29 October 2020 (For a more detailed map, see military situation in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war) | |||||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||||
Azerbaijan |
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
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Units involved | |||||||||
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Artsakh Defence Army Armed Forces of Armenia National Security Service | ||||||||
Strength | |||||||||
Unknown regular military Units:
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Casualties and losses | |||||||||
Per Azerbaijan:
Per Armenia:
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Per Armenia:
Per Azerbaijan:
Units:
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1 Azerbaijani civilian killed 6 Azerbaijani civilian injured |
The operations started on 27 September, with Azerbaijani advancements in Jabrayil and Fuzuli districts, with the initial objective to seize control of Jabrayil and Füzuli. On 9 October, both sides agreed to a temporary humanitarian ceasefire. After the declared ceasefire, the President of Artsakh admitted Azerbaijan had been able to achieve some success, moving the front deep into Artsakh territory; the Armenian Prime Minister announced that Armenian forces had conducted a "partial retreat".
However, the ceasefire quickly broke down and the Azerbaijani advance continued. Within days Azerbaijan announced the capture of dozens of villages. The Azerbaijani forces, advancing more along the Aras River, captured the Khodaafarin Bridges and the nearby dam. On 20 October, the Azerbaijani forces took control of Zangilan, and on 22 October, Ağbənd, thus taking full control over the Azerbaijan–Iran border.