Azerbaijan’s military units have entered the Lachin region following 28 years of occupation by Armenian forces, the country's Defense Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

“Under the instruction of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijan Army Units took complete control of Lachin city, as well as Zabukh and Sus settlements,” the Ministry said.

“Currently, measures to station Azerbaijan Army Units to new deployment points, as well as carry out the necessary engineering work are underway in these territories,” the Ministry added.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev congratulated all the residents of Lachin and the people of Azerbaijan on this occasion.

“Today, August 26, we, Azerbaijanis, returned to the city of Lachin. The Azerbaijani army was stationed in Lachin. The villages of Zabukh and Sus are taken under control. I congratulate all Lachins and the Azerbaijani people on this occasion. Long live Lachin! Long live Azerbaijan, "Aliyev wrote on Twitter.

Bu gün, avqustun 26-da biz – Azərbaycanlılar Laçın şəhərinə qayıtmışıq. Azərbaycan Ordusu Laçın şəhərinə yerləşdi. Zabux və Sus kəndləri nəzarətə götürüldü. Bütün Laçınlıları və Azərbaycan xalqını bu münasibətlə təbrik edirəm.
Yaşasın Laçın!
Yaşasın Azərbaycan!

— İlham Əliyev (@azpresident) August 26, 2022

Lachin was captured on May 18, 1992, by the Armenian armed forces during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War.

Under the November 10, 2020, trilateral statement, signed by the Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian leaders, the city should be handed over to Azerbaijan after the completion of a new road, which would be an alternative to the Lachin corridor. (ILKHA)