He noted that along with the strengthening of the material and technical base of the army, the social package of various benefits applied to military personnel and the amount of allowance paid to them is being expanded.

“The issues of accommodation, medical support for military personnel, their families, including families of martyrs, are being solved,” he said. “Over the past 3-4 years, more than 80 per cent of military towns and bases have been rebuilt and overhauled, and now they meet modern requirements.”

Valiyev added that the military arsenal of the Azerbaijani army is being updated, and the latest military equipment and weapons are bought from the technologically advanced countries.

“The presence of modern weapons is an important indicator, but skills, professionalism and patriotism are just as important,” he said. “The Azerbaijani army by over 70 per cent consists of professional soldiers. The April battles of 2016 and the operation in Gunnut settlement in May 2018 proved our actions right.”

On April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions and settlements of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire by the Armenian Armed Forces. As a result of the shelling of Azerbaijan’s settlements located along the line of contact, civilians were killed, including two children. Numerous public and private facilities, including civil infrastructure, were severely damaged as a result of the attack.

Azerbaijan responded with an armed offensive, which resulted in four days of fighting, as the country liberated several important strategic spots previously occupied by Armenian Armed Forces. As many as 30 tanks, up to 15 armoured guns and fortifications belonging to the Armenians were destroyed, 320 Armenian soldiers were killed and more than 500 servicemen of the enemy were wounded during the clashes.

As a result of the successful counteroffensive, more than 2,000 hectares of the territory was liberated from the Armenian occupation.

As a result of successful actions in May 2018, the village of Gunnut of the Sharur district and the strategic heights of Khunut (2,065 meters), Gyzylgaya (1,683 meters), and Mehridag (1,869 meters), located around the village, came under the control of Azerbaijani units.

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