It was on this day in 1918 that the Caucasian Islamic Army, which included the Azerbaijani Corps, entered Baku, freeing the city from Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation.
Despite its difficult situation, Ottoman Turkey sent the Caucasian Islamic Army, led by Nuru Pasha, to restore Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. Despite protests from European countries regarding the entry of Turkish troops into Azerbaijan, in August and September 1918, Ottoman Turkey did not forsake its brotherly help and did not abandon our country in its time of need.
It fulfilled its historic mission with dignity. With the successful completion of the liberation mission by the Ottoman Turks on September 15, and with the liberation of Baku from the occupiers, a brotherly contribution was made to the establishment of Azerbaijan’s statehood. After this grand and historic victory, the capital of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic was moved from Ganja to Baku on September 17. During the operation to liberate Baku, the Ottoman army lost 1,130 soldiers.
On September 10, 1918, Nuru Pasha took direct command of the liberation of Baku. By Nuru Pasha’s order of September 10, 1918, the command of the Eastern Front and its Northern Group were dissolved, and the movement of all units at the front was entrusted directly to the command of the Caucasian Islamic Army.
In an order dated September 13, 1918, sent to the fighting divisions by the command of the Caucasian Islamic Army, it was announced that the offensive on Baku would begin at 02:00 on September 14.
To take part in the decisive offensive on Baku, approximately eight thousand Ottoman soldiers and up to seven thousand local Azerbaijani forces gathered.
At 2:00 AM, the Fifth Caucasian Division began advancing towards the Heybat-Balajary railway.
At 3:00 AM, the first line of Baku’s defense was captured, and by 6:00 AM, the second line.
The enemy, prepared for battle, was destroyed by artillery fire. The 56th Regiment, which became the main hero of the offensive, captured strategic heights and, pursuing the enemy, advanced forward. The 15th Regiment seized the Balajary slopes, while the Mashtaghi Detachment, part of this regiment, captured Sabunchu, and local volunteers took the Keshla station. Avoiding direct confrontation, the Armenians engaged in fighting in urban quarters and houses, as if trying to repeat the March massacre.
On September 14, General Dunsterville, the Centrocaspian Dictatorship government, and the Baku Commissars left Baku.
On September 15, the news of Baku’s liberation was published in the first issue of the “Azerbaijan” newspaper in Ganja: “Telegram from the Commander of the Caucasian Islamic Army Nuru Pasha to the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic: ‘Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim! At 09:00 on September 15, 1918, the city of Baku was liberated by our heroic army units.'”
After the liberation of Baku by the Caucasian Islamic Army, on September 17, the government of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic relocated from Ganja to Baku. Thus, the main stage of state-building began in Azerbaijan.
On September 18, the surrounding units of the Caucasian Islamic Army entered Baku. Azerbaijani Turks, the rightful owners of the city, warmly welcomed the victorious army as their savior.
Thus, Azerbaijan’s independence was ensured, and the dominance of the Armenians and Bolsheviks in Baku and the surrounding regions was ended.
During the military operation to liberate Baku, 1,132 soldiers of the Caucasian Islamic Army were killed.
