Azerbaijan is marking the 108th anniversary of the establishment of its Armed Forces, paying tribute to the servicemen and national heroes who defended the country's independence and territorial integrity, İdman.Biz reports.
The Azerbaijani National Army was founded on June 26, 1918, during the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. Since the restoration of the country's independence, the armed forces have undergone significant development, overcoming the challenges of the First Karabakh War before achieving victory in the 2020 Patriotic War and the 2023 anti-terror operations.
Among those remembered on Armed Forces Day are National Heroes Allahverdi Baghirov and Aliyar Aliyev, both of whom made important contributions to Azerbaijani sport before sacrificing their lives in defense of their homeland.
Baghirov is regarded as one of the legendary figures of Qarabag football. As a talented player, coach and sports organizer, he played a leading role in the early development of the club and served as its captain. After retiring from football, he worked as a youth coach in Aghdam, helping develop hundreds of young players, and later became Qarabag's head coach, turning the team into one of the strongest sides in domestic competitions.
Aliyev also built a distinguished sporting career before the war. A successful Greco-Roman wrestler, he won numerous medals at republican, Soviet and international tournaments. After graduating from the Teachers' Institute, he worked as a physical education teacher and headed the regional branch of the "Mahsul" Voluntary Sports Society in Gubadli, where he devoted himself to promoting sport among young people.
During the war, Aliyev organized a volunteer battalion in Gubadli and served as its commander, personally taking part in operations to liberate villages in Lachin and Shusha, as well as strategically important positions.
Both men carried the discipline, resilience and patriotism they developed through sport onto the battlefield, becoming enduring symbols of courage and self-sacrifice for future generations of Azerbaijanis.
