“Our ancient homeland, which we proudly celebrate today as Qubadli City Day, faced severe tragedies starting from the end of the last century. Qubadli, located on the border with Armenia, distinguished by its mysterious nature and beautiful settlements, was plundered as a result of Armenian aggression. Terror against the civilian population continued systematically. Finally, on August 31, 1993, the district was completely occupied by the Armenian armed forces. After the occupation, Armenia, in gross violation of the norms and principles of international law, illegally settled Armenians brought from abroad in these territories. The occupation dealt heavy blows to Qubadli, and the residents of the district were displaced from their native lands. The district’s economy and infrastructure were deliberately destroyed, and our national cultural monuments were razed to the ground.”
These were the words of Rashad Mahmudov, a Member of the Milli Majlis. According to him, Qubadli, which was under occupation for a long time, was used by the enemy for criminal purposes, becoming a favorable place for the illegal circulation of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and other goods whose civilian circulation is prohibited. The Armenian leadership, disregarding international laws, grossly violated the norms and principles of international law by using the occupied territories for illegal activities. However, the Azerbaijani state thwarted the plans of Armenia and the international forces supporting it to perpetuate the occupation. In response to Armenia’s provocations, as a result of the successful counter-offensive operations of our valiant army in the Patriotic War, which began on September 27, 2020, the city of Qubadli and 41 villages of the district were liberated from occupation by November 9. This victory paved the way for our return to our native lands and was the proud result of the struggle for the freedom of Qubadli that lasted for years.
Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, our Armed Forces inflicted a devastating defeat on the enemy and liberated our historical lands one after another. One of the glorious pages of this chronicle of victory was the liberation of the city of Qubadli from occupation on October 25. Despite the strong fortifications established by the enemy in Qubadli, our army demonstrated great heroism and combat spirit, liberating the city.
Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, extensive construction work has begun in Qubadli. The implementation of major projects that stimulate the socio-economic development of the Karabakh and East Zangezur economic regions, the construction of new roads, residential buildings, social facilities, and enterprises have created a solid foundation for the future development of the city. The return of the people of Qubadli, who were separated from their native lands for many years, the restoration of the city, and the revitalization of its economic life became one of the main tasks set by our state.
The liberation of Qubadli from occupation will never be forgotten and will always be remembered as one of the heroic pages of our honorable history. Qubadli, once under the enemy’s heel, is now experiencing a new era of development as free land. The construction work, infrastructure renewal, road construction, and social facility construction in the city serve the future development of our native land.
The deputy noted at the end that during the occupation period, the territory of Qubadli was used for the illegal transportation of narcotic drugs. Today, under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, construction and landscaping work is being carried out in these lands, and important steps are being taken for the future development of the city. The difference between Qubadli’s past and present is evident. Today, roads are being built, new facilities are being constructed, and projects for the city’s future are being implemented on lands where illegal activities were once carried out. All this clearly shows who Qubadli belongs to, who the true owners of these lands are, and the determination of the Azerbaijani state to restore our native lands.