Located amid majestic mountains and distinguished by its breathtaking natural beauty, Lachin has once again been embracing its people for several years. Once a symbol of longing and separation, this ancient homeland has today become one of the symbols of Victory, return and reconstruction.
Over the past six years, Azerbaijan has written one glorious chapter after another in the chronicle of its Victory. On August 26, 2022, Azerbaijan achieved another proud and historic milestone. On that day, the Azerbaijani Army entered Lachin city, while the villages of Zabukh and Sus came under control. Thus, the occupation of the strategically important Lachin region was completely brought to an end. According to an Order signed by President Ilham Aliyev on July 31, 2023, August 26 is celebrated as Lachin City Day.
Sea-news.az reports that Lachin city is the administrative center of Lachin District, which was established on August 8, 1930. In 1923, the settlement of Abdallar was renamed Lachin and granted city status. The strategically important Lachin District, consisting of one city, one settlement and 125 villages, was occupied by the Armenian armed forces on May 18, 1992. As a result of the occupation, the district’s population was subjected to ethnic cleansing, while more than 300 military personnel and civilians were killed or went missing. A total of 217 cultural, 101 educational and 142 healthcare facilities, as well as 462 commercial establishments, 30 communication facilities, 133 administrative and other institutions, five music schools, one boarding school, one secondary vocational school, two motor transport enterprises and various production facilities were looted and destroyed by the occupiers. In addition, 54 monuments of global significance and more than 200 monuments of local significance were subjected to vandalism. During the occupation, a significant part of the district’s forest resources was destroyed, while extensive damage was inflicted on the Garagol State Nature Reserve, covering 240 hectares, and the Lachin State Nature Sanctuary, covering 20,000 hectares.
As the occupying party, Armenia grossly violated its obligations under the Geneva Conventions and engaged in illegal activities in Lachin District, including changing geographical names, looting and exploiting the region’s natural resources for profit, and pursuing a deliberate settlement policy aimed at altering the demographic composition, primarily through the settlement of ethnic Armenian refugees from Syria. Such actions are classified as war crimes under international conventions, and these crimes were committed in full view of the international community.
Finally, the Patriotic War, which began on September 27, 2020 and lasted 44 days, resulted in Azerbaijan ending the 30-year occupation. The brilliant victories achieved by the Azerbaijani Army on the battlefield, together with the decisive and principled position, diplomatic skill and iron will of Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, compelled Armenia to capitulate and withdraw from the occupied territories. In accordance with the Trilateral Statement, Lachin District was handed over by the Armenian army on December 1, 2020. Earlier, on November 9 of the same year, the villages of Gulebird, Safiyan and Turklar in the district had been liberated by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. Two years after the Victory, on August 26, 2022, the complete liberation of the district was secured with Lachin city and the villages of Zabukh and Sus coming under control. Thus, this event became one of the significant historical milestones in Azerbaijan’s chronicle of Victory, demonstrating the unity of military strength, political determination and diplomatic will.
Following the liberation of Lachin city, one of Azerbaijan’s most picturesque corners, large-scale reconstruction and development projects were launched. Modern infrastructure is being created while preserving the city’s historical character, with new residential neighborhoods, social facilities and other major projects being implemented. Within the framework of the “Great Return” Program, the gradual return of Lachin residents who had been internally displaced to their ancestral homeland is being ensured. Beginning on May 28, 2023, residents of Lachin started returning to their native city. Streets, homes and places once remembered with longing are coming back to life, and Lachin is regaining its former grandeur.
Measures are also being implemented to ensure the effective organization of leisure and public life for residents of Lachin. The establishment of production, service and educational institutions, the creation of new jobs and ensuring employment opportunities for residents remain among the key priorities. President Ilham Aliyev, who has consistently kept the development of the liberated territories in focus, has visited Lachin District several times, participating in opening and groundbreaking ceremonies and inspecting the progress of projects and reconstruction works being carried out in the region.
Today, Lachin has also become one of the examples of Azerbaijan’s reconstruction policy and vibrant public life in the liberated territories. The city is already hosting a number of local and international events and has become one of the key venues for important meetings, forums and cultural events. This demonstrates that Lachin is being reshaped not merely as a residential settlement, but as a city with a distinctive place in Azerbaijan’s public, cultural and international life.
Today, every new street, every new building and every family returning to Lachin is a living embodiment of the Great Return. A city that once bore the heavy scars of occupation has now become a symbol of reconstruction, prosperity and confidence in the future.
