Today marks Karvatchar liberation day – veterans remember battle
The military operations to liberate Karvatchar (Kelbajar), a strategically important village lying to Nagorno-Karabakh’s north-west (Shahumyan region), came to a successful end on April 2, 1993.
The village was seized from Azerbaijani control after the Armenian forces destroyed military base, crucially defeating the enemy.
Major-General Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan, a legendary hero of the Nagorno-Karabakh liberation war, remembers the operation as a major breakthrough that paved the way to Armenia’s victory. He says every inch of land liberated in the fierce battle mattered a lot for Armenia.
“The operation enabled us to reduce our contingent and send it to more heated spots. We defused the tension there and liberated [the area], later making it a region for civilians,” he told our correspondent.
The operation, known best as the Battle of Kelbajar, followed increased tensions in the north-western front of Nagorno-Karabakh. In an attempt to divert attention, the Azerbaijani military command instructed their troops to launch a rear attack against the Armeniaforces stationed in the north-eastern region of Martakert. That made the Nagorno-Karabkh Defense Army to concentrate its attention on the north-western border gates.
A strong defense barricade, set up shortly afterwards, neutralized further advances by the enemy. After destroying Azerbaijani military posts and seizing back Armenian villages, the Defense Army eventually manages to liberate an intersection connecting Karvatchar with Gandzak (Ganja). Three days later, on April 5, the Armenian forces reach the mountain pass of Omar.
Armenia’s losses in the defense battle were within what is termed as the accepted norm, whereas the Azerbaijani forces suffered crucial damages, according the major-general. “They attempted to cross the mountains and stricken by panic, suffered huge losses,” Ter-Tadevosyan said.
Speaking to Tert.am, Felix Gzoghyan, a Karabakh war veteran who participated in the operation, described the battle as his generation’s greatest dream. “We were in the mountain pass of Omar; nothing of the kind had ever happened before. And we discharged our duty with honor, realizing our dream,” he said.
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