Azerbaijan Observes Day of Remembrance for 2020 Patriotic War

The Government of Azerbaijan observed the Day of Remembrance on September 27, 2026, marking the sixth anniversary of the 44-day Patriotic War. The conflict began on September 27, 2020, as a counter-offensive led by President Ilham Aliyev to liberate territories occupied for nearly three decades, including the culturally significant city of Shusha.

President Ilham Aliyev commemorated the date via social media, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an official statement honoring those who sacrificed their lives for the nation's independence and sovereignty. The ministry noted that the war served as a turning point for the country and highlighted current state efforts to remove landmines and facilitate the return of internally displaced persons through the Great Return reconstruction program.

Casualty figures from the 2020 conflict remain a point of record, with 2,908 Azerbaijani servicemen killed and six missing. Reports on civilian casualties vary slightly, with one source citing 93 killed and 454 injured, while another reports 98 killed and 414 seriously wounded. The hostilities concluded on November 10, 2020, following a trilateral ceasefire agreement signed by Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia.