ISTANBUL

Azerbaijan on Wednesday celebrated the country’s 32nd Day of Restoration of Independence as Baku established full sovereignty over its territory following an anti-terrorism operation in the Karabakh region in September.

Azerbaijan's independence was declared on May 18, 1918, by the country's National Council, chaired by Mammad Amin Rasulzadeh, who is considered to be the founder of Azerbaijan.

However, after two years of independence, the country was invaded by the Soviet army on April 28, 1920.

The country took its place on the international stage as an independent state once again on Oct. 18, 1991, when it declared independence from the Soviet Union after being under occupation for more than 70 years.

The Constitutional Act on State Independence adopted by the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan, which was the parliament of the period, defined the Soviet Union as an occupying force and declared the new Azerbaijani state to be the heir of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic established in 1918.

The issue was later put to a referendum on Dec. 29, 1991, in which almost all of the people voted for independence.

Despite declaring its independence, Azerbaijan did not establish full sovereignty over its territory as the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

Most of the territory was liberated by Azerbaijan during a war in the fall of 2020, which ended after a Russian-brokered peace agreement and also opened the door to normalization.

This year on Sept. 19, the Azerbaijani army initiated an anti-terrorism operation in Karabakh to establish constitutional order in the region, after which illegal separatist forces in the region surrendered.

Azerbaijan, having now established full sovereignty in the region, has reiterated its call on the Armenian population in Karabakh to become part of Azerbaijani society.