BAKU, Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan on Tuesday celebrated the 106th anniversary of its independence which was declared on May 28, 1918. 

The declaration made by Azerbaijan's then National Council, which was chaired by Mammad Amin Rasulzadeh, who is regarded as the country's founder, marked the foundation of what is considered to be the "first democratic republic of the Muslim East."

In a short time, reforms were carried out by the newly-founded country in the fields of economy, education, freedom of religion and conscience, while equal rights were granted to all citizens.

The country also became the first in the Muslim East to grant women the right to vote.

The Azerbaijani government temporarily operated in the country's second-largest city Ganja due to Baku being under the control of Armenian and Bolshevik gangs.

The Ottoman Empire was the first to recognize Azerbaijan's independence following an agreement signed between the two states on June 4, 1918.

In this context, then-Ottoman Minister of War Enver Pasha formed an army under the command of his brother Nuri Pasha (Killigil) and sent aid to Azerbaijan.

The army called the "Islamic Army of the Caucasus" liberated the country's capital on Sept. 15, 1918, after which the country's government moved to Baku.

The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was able to maintain its independence for only 23 months, after which the Soviet army invaded the country on April 28, 1920.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan declared its independence again and was constitutionally declared to be the heir of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic that existed between 1918 and 1920.

*Writing by Burc Eruygur in Istanbul