NEWS CENTER - The Caucasus Islamic Army Monument was opened by Minister Yaşar Güler before the commemoration ceremony organized by the Türkiye-Azerbaijan Friendship and Cooperation Foundation (TADİV). Speaking at the opening of the monument, Minister Yaşar Güler said:
"I FIND THE OPENING OF THIS MONUMENT EXTREMELY VALUABLE"
"I would also like to express that I am very proud to open the Monument of the Caucasus Islamic Army, which has such a historical meaning on the 108th anniversary of the liberation of Baku. I find it extremely valuable that this meaningful work was opened with a valuable program carried out on the anniversary of the liberation of Baku. On this occasion, I would like to thank the architect, artist, master and worker who contributed to this monument from the idea stage to its completion, especially Prof. Dr. Aygün Attar. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who passed by.
My dear brothers and sisters, this monument that we opened today reminds us once again of the great brotherhood, sacrifice and solidarity that was demonstrated 108 years ago. For the independence of Azerbaijan and the liberation of Baku in 1918, the children of Anatolia did not remain indifferent to the call for help from their brothers and sisters, knowing their homeland as their own, they rushed to fight for the unity and integrity of Azerbaijan under the glorious banner of the Caucasian Islamic Army. Our heroes who fell to the ground for this cause left a sacred legacy to the eternal brotherhood between Türkiye and Azerbaijan that will live on for generations. I wholeheartedly believe that this monument we opened today will keep their cherished memories alive, contribute to the transfer of our common history to future generations, and will be one of the eternal symbols of the unity of Turkey and Azerbaijan.
On this occasion, I commemorate Nuri Pasha and the heroic members of the Caucasus Islamic Army, as well as our martyrs and heroic veterans who fought for the independence of Türkiye and Azerbaijan, with mercy, gratitude and gratitude. May their souls rest in peace, may the brotherhood of Türkiye and Azerbaijan be eternal."
"THE STRUGGLE OF THE CAUCASUS ISLAMIC ARMY WAS A HISTORICAL TURNING POINT"
Minister Yaşar Güler made the following speech at the ceremony following the opening of the monument: I am very pleased to be with you in this meaningful program organized with the theme of "One Nation, Two States: Brotherhood Sealed by Blood in 1918" on the 108th anniversary of the historical operation carried out by the "Caucasian Islamic Army" and saving Baku, the apple of the eye of Azerbaijan, from occupation. First of all, I would like to thank the President of the Foundation, Turkey-Azerbaijan Friendship, Cooperation and Solidarity Foundation, who organized this important program and made it possible to re-evaluate such a historical heritage from an academic perspective, as well as our esteemed professors who will present papers in the panel session and everyone who contributed to the program. On this occasion, I would like to express with great pleasure that we follow the productive work carried out by our Foundation to strengthen the sociocultural ties between Türkiye and Azerbaijan and to contribute to peace and social solidarity in the Turkish world.
The date of September 15, 1918, the anniversary of which we celebrate here today, has much greater meanings than the execution of an operation and the liberation of a valuable city like Baku from enemy occupation. At the end of the First World War, in an environment where the balances in the Caucasus changed and Azerbaijani Turks faced serious threats, the Republic of Azerbaijan, which declared its independence on May 28, 1918, asked for help from its brothers within the framework of the Treaty of Friendship signed with the Ottoman Empire on June 4. The Caucasus Islamic Army was formed by the Ottoman Empire, which did not remain indifferent to this call, under the command of Nuri Pasha.
Within the scope of the operation initiated by the Caucasian Islamic Army shoulder to shoulder with the Azerbaijani national forces, significant successes were achieved in Gökchay and Shamakhi, starting from Ganja, and then they reached the front of Baku. Finally, after the last attack that started on the night of September 14, Baku was liberated from occupation on September 15, 1918 and handed over to the Azerbaijani national state, thus paving the way for the government to move from Ganja to Baku. This struggle did not stop with Baku; a few days after the liberation of the city, the operation was expanded in the direction of Karabakh.
So much so that, following the Armenian attacks against the Azerbaijani Turks, critical places such as Askeran, Shusha and Gerus were cleared of Armenian gangs with the operation launched from Aghdam by our two heroic regiments under the command of Colonel Cemil Cahit Bey from the 5th Caucasian Division, thus ensuring safety and security in Karabakh.
Therefore, this struggle of the Caucasian Islamic Army was a historical turning point that allowed the strengthening of Azerbaijan's sovereignty and the establishment of the country's territorial integrity.
"OUR BROTHERHOOD IS SEALED IN BLOOD"
Undoubtedly, one of the most valuable aspects of this operation is that the heroic Turkish soldier and the brave sons of Azerbaijan fought side by side with their deep-rooted ties, love of homeland and spirit of brotherhood. Today, while we once again commemorate our Azerbaijani brothers who died in the same fight with the 1132 martyrs of the Caucasian Islamic Army, we also remember with respect and gratitude this great legacy of brotherhood that has been passed down from generation to generation for more than a century.
Our heroes, lying side by side at the Alley of Martyrs in Baku, remind us once again of this truth: Türkiye-Azerbaijan brotherhood is not a closeness expressed only in words. This brotherhood has been sealed with struggles, sacrifices and blood, shoulder to shoulder on the same front when necessary.
"VICTORY IN KARABAKH IS A SOURCE OF PRIDE FOR THE ENTIRE TURKISH WORLD"
The spirit of this epic, written in 1918, continues to live with the same excitement today. While the brotherhood between Türkiye and Azerbaijan gives meaning to our present with the legacy of our deep-rooted and common past, it also forms the strongest foundation of our future unity. This bond is an eternal brotherhood, rooted in the past, filtered through the struggles from the Caucasian Islamic Army to the War of One Homeland, established heart to heart.
As a matter of fact, just as the children of Anatolia fought shoulder to shoulder with their Azerbaijani brothers for the liberation of Baku in 1918, a century later, when Azerbaijan took action to save its own land, Karabakh, from occupation, the heart of the Turkish nation beat together with its brothers. The heroic soldiers of the glorious Azerbaijani army, whose hearts beat with the love of their country, took action to liberate Karabakh, which was occupied for nearly 30 years, and put up an epic struggle with great determination, discipline and determination for 44 days.
This great victory is the result of the great military struggle, as well as the patience, will and determination of the Azerbaijani people, who did not give up their rights for many years and did not lose their faith in the day when they would regain their homeland. Fortunately, today the glorious tricolor Azerbaijani flag flies freely in Shusha, Khankendi and throughout Karabakh. This victory is a great source of pride for Azerbaijan as well as for the entire Turkish world.
As Türkiye, we stood by our Azerbaijani brothers with our support and with all our means at every moment of the Homeland War, and we all experienced the joy of that blessed victory together. Because Azerbaijan's joy is our joy, its pain is our pain. As long as our homelands are safe and rosy, as long as our crescent, star and tricolor flags fly freely in our skies forever.
"Türkiye-AZERBAIJAN RELATIONS ARE VERY ROOTED, VERY STRONG, VERY DIMENSIONAL AND DEEP"
As you all follow closely, the scale and impact of risks and threats at global and regional levels are increasing day by day. In an environment where the international system has become fragile, crises and conflicts have increased, and security, energy and economic competition has become increasingly harsh, it is not a choice, but a necessity for our strategically located countries to be strong in every field and increase their deterrence. In this critical environment, our heroic Turkish Armed Forces resolutely protect the rights and interests of our country, while at the same time making exceptional contributions to security, peace and stability in many geographies. In such a sensitive security environment, close cooperation between Türkiye and Azerbaijan is more important than ever.
It is a fact that Türkiye-Azerbaijan relations are very deep-rooted, very strong, multidimensional and deep. We do not have diplomatic relations between two states in the classical sense. Beyond this, "We are two states, one nation", part of the same geography, the same culture, the same values and a common destiny. Thank God, today, under the leadership of our Presidents, our relations are experiencing one of the strongest periods in our history, and our strategic partnership is developing in almost every field.
This distinguished level we have reached, especially in the field of defense and security, is one of the most concrete indicators of our unshakable trust in each other and our comprehensive solidarity. Our Armed Forces carry out joint activities in a wide range of areas, from mutual personnel training to joint and multinational exercises, from sharing military experience to mine clearance activities, from defense industry projects to technology and capability development.
Continuous improvement of interoperability, coordination and mutual trust between the Turkish and Azerbaijani armies is of strategic importance for the security of the Caucasus as well as the defense capacity of the two countries. The basis of this strong military cooperation we have achieved today is the spirit of brotherhood and solidarity demonstrated by our soldiers who fought shoulder to shoulder for the liberation of Baku in 1918. Even though conditions and opportunities have changed after 108 years, the same spirit of brotherhood is kept alive as two brother armies march towards the future in unity of destiny. That's why we say that Turkey's power is Azerbaijan's power, and Azerbaijan's power is Turkey's power.
"WE WELCOME THE POSITIVE STEPS TAKEN BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA"
Each victory gained gains greater meaning with the environment of peace and stability it creates. The Homeland War and the developments that followed created a historical opportunity for the South Caucasus to be remembered for peace, stability, development and regional cooperation by removing it from the conflict environment it had been exposed to for many years. In this context, we welcome the will recorded in Washington last year between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the positive steps taken recently towards the establishment of peace, and we hope that a comprehensive and lasting peace will be established as soon as possible.
As Türkiye, we support efforts to conclude the process with an understanding that is sustainable, strengthens regional stability and contributes to the peace and prosperity of all the people of the region. Because the Caucasus no longer needs conflicts, but trust, cooperation, development and prosperity. We believe that the strong solidarity between Türkiye and Azerbaijan is one of the most important assurances of this new era.
"WE WILL ALWAYS CONTINUE TO STAND BY OUR LIFE GUARDS"
The basis of our historical and current relations, which I have tried to express so far, are mutual trust, strong collaboration and a deep-rooted legacy of solidarity inherited from our ancestors. In this context, we have to transform this precious legacy that we inherited from our heroes who marched from Ganja to Baku in 1918, into a stronger unity in defense, diplomacy, economy, energy, transportation, technology and every field. Likewise, with this understanding, we must lead a brighter future together.
I believe that this program we are holding today will not only remind us of an important turning point in our history, but also make significant contributions to revealing this understanding of brotherhood and our common future perspective, as well as transferring this heritage to our youth.
Because history is one of our most important guides not only for remembering what happened in the past, but also for understanding the present correctly and building the future on solid foundations. In this context, the fact that the bridge of brotherhood that has been established unshakably between Turkey and Azerbaijan has today turned into a much stronger, institutional and strategic unity is the most concrete indicator that we protect the sacred legacy left to us by our martyrs. As Türkiye, we will continue to develop our cooperation with Azerbaijan with the same understanding and always stand by our life brothers.
As I end my words with these feelings and thoughts, I remember with mercy and gratitude our founding leaders, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and Haydar Aliyev, Caucasus Islamic Army Commander Nuri Pasha, and all our heroes who took part in this great struggle. I wish God's mercy to all our martyrs, especially the martyrs of the Caucasian Islamic Army and the Single Homeland War, who sacrificed their lives for the independence and sovereignty of our countries and for our glorious flags to fly freely. I commemorate our heroic veterans who passed away with mercy and gratitude, and I express my respect and gratitude to our surviving veterans, martyrs and the precious families of our veterans.
I would like to express my gratitude once again to the Turkey Azerbaijan Friendship, Cooperation and Solidarity Foundation, which pioneered this meaningful meeting and made valuable contributions to keeping our common history and memory of brotherhood alive, our valuable academicians who made scientific contributions to the Program and everyone who contributed; I greet you with love and respect. Stay healthy.
