Today, Armed Forces Day is celebrated in Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani Army, which has rendered invaluable services in protecting the country's independence and territorial integrity, has raised thousands of heroic sons. Many of these heroes sacrificed their lives for the freedom and security of the Motherland, inscribing their names in golden letters in our history. Their bravery is known to everyone. However, only their loved ones know best what kind of child, what kind of brother our heroes were in the family, and what memories they lived with.
Modern.az website spoke with several martyr sisters, learning how they remember their heroic brothers, the memories that live in their hearts even after years, and the spiritual meaning their brothers hold for them.
Khayala Agamaliyeva, sister of martyr warrant officer Jamal Ismayilov, says that they used to eagerly await this day, June 26...
"Because sometimes a military parade was organized on this date, and Jamal participated in that parade. We watched it on television, and my daughters would call every passing soldier 'our uncle' and rejoice. I only remember those happy days now. Jamal was my closest friend in this world, a protective, loving uncle like a brother. I felt orphaned after him. No love can replace the love and bond between siblings.
We were very close since childhood. We had common interests. We loved watching football and movies together, and reading books. Jamal especially loved reading epics, and then he would act like their heroes. Later, we discovered Shah Ismayil, and he became our hero."
According to our interlocutor, Jamal would have excelled in any profession he chose:
"Sometimes he dreamed of being a rapper, because he was a fan of the 'Deyirman' group, then he wanted to be an actor. I used to tell him he looked like Tom Cruise. But his biggest dream was to be a doctor. He also made the decision to be a soldier and stay in the military himself. I was always very worried without letting him know. We wanted peace, but he was preparing us for war. Sometimes I would tell him that if there was a war, I wouldn't leave him alone, I would come there. He would laugh. He would say: 'You wait, I will come back.' He tried not to let us know the difficulty of his job. He acted very cheerful around us. 'Everything will be fine,' he would say.
...In April 2016, I was very scared. The news was very sad, there were martyrs, Jamal wasn't answering, the whole family was very sad. A few days later, he wrote that he was fine. I said: 'I don't believe it's Jamal, write me the word you always write.' He wrote from the midst of fire and flames: 'Красавица'. Then he sent a picture with his comrades-in-arms.
After the battle, he came with his daughters to the school where we studied, and where I now work. I saw him from the window. He hugged me as if I had returned from battle. Then I asked: 'Is the war over?' He said: 'Almost.' That's when I understood the fear of losing him.
September 2020 separated us forever. It's as if I'm stuck in that moment. At that time, the whole world seemed colorless, gray to me. Since then, every year from September until the time they gave us Jamal, I see the world in gray.
We corresponded during the war, and he was the one who comforted me. The last time I spoke to him was on October 14. I was just crying, and he was comforting me. I said: 'You know, you have to come back.' He said: 'Everything is great, don't worry, don't leave our mother and father alone.' I said: 'You come yourself, they need you.' Then I told him how much I loved him and that I believed he would return."
I remember his laughing voice every day and I'm still waiting...
The martyr's sister says that she always addressed him as "my hero":
"I have always been proud of him. He was my closest confidant and advisor.
When I go to him, I say: 'Enough, come back, I've realized there's no life without you.' Sometimes they say time lessens the pain, but it's not like that, the pain turns into rebellion. Sometimes I call out 'Jamal!' with all my might. But there's no answer.
His gift to us was our liberated lands. This was his dream - to see Azerbaijan completely free.
Jamal loved Azerbaijan very much. In 2018, I asked him: 'Do you love your homeland very much?' He said: 'Sister, I would shed every drop of my blood for its land.' He said these words with pride, his eyes sparkling. And I said: 'Love, but stay alive, be with us. Because only those who love their homeland so much can protect it.'"
Jamal was always a very kind son, brother, uncle, father, and paternal uncle.
I wait for him every day.
I miss his voice, his gaze so much..."
Tarifa Mammadova, sister of martyr Lieutenant Colonel Soltan Mammadov, told our website that her brother was a brave, caring person who prioritized his homeland and family above all else, and whose heart beat with love for his homeland:
"The most upsetting thing for me is that I couldn't spend much time with him. Because he prioritized serving his homeland above everything else, and we met very rarely. Whenever I saw a soldier in military uniform, I felt proud that my brother was also serving his homeland.
For me, June 26 means respect for the soldiers who protect the country's independence and security, commemorating the martyrs with reverence, and appreciating the sacrifices of our veterans.
My brother was a worthy son and brother to his homeland and nation. My most precious memories are the simple yet unforgettable moments we spent together, our sincere conversations, and the memories that made us smile.
Even though he is not with us today, his heroism will live forever in my heart. I will always be proud to be his sister. He will remain both my pride and an unhealing wound."
Dunya Yusifova, sister of martyr Colonel Vugar Yusifov, stated that her brother dreamed of becoming a professional officer even when he was in secondary school.
"After studying at the Higher Military School in Turkey from 1993-1998, he began serving in the ranks of the Azerbaijani Special Forces. He served honorably in the Special Forces for 23 years. During these years, he was repeatedly awarded medals for his impeccable service. He had special services in the formation and strengthening of the Special Forces."
The martyr's sister says that Vugar's biggest dream was the liberation of the Karabakh lands from occupation:
"He always said, 'We can liberate the Karabakh lands through battle. We must liberate the Karabakh lands from occupation so that the young generation after us, our children, can live in peace.'"
He was repeatedly awarded for the successful operations he carried out during his years of service in the Special Forces. On March 19, 2020, he was promoted to the rank of colonel for a successful operation he conducted.
My brother participated in the April battles of 2016, leading combat operations as the chief of staff of the Special Forces regiment. He was martyred on the Talish heights on the morning of April 4, 2016. Colonel Vugar Yusifov was the highest-ranking officer martyred in the April battles. His presence alongside the fighters became an example for all officers serving in the Azerbaijani Army.
During his years of work, he always kept his combat assignments secret, never talking about his operations. Therefore, we had no information about some of his operations. Only after he was martyred did we learn through his comrades-in-arms and information spread on social networks that he had led many successful operations."
According to our interviewee, there was only a two-year age difference between her and her brother:
"Every day we went to and from school together. We would ask each other about the knowledge we learned at school, as if competing to see who studied better. We grew up in a very patriotic spirit. Because our grandfathers were veterans and always told us heroic stories. They also played a big role in Vugar becoming an officer and choosing the military profession. They made Vugar love the art of war.
When we were in high school, the Karabakh war had started. We heard on television about the horrors the Armenians were inflicting on the Azerbaijani people. From that time, Vugar had only one dream - to be a soldier, to participate in combat operations as a professional officer. He had a great hatred for the enemy. After graduating from secondary school in 1993, with the dream of becoming a soldier, he was admitted to the Higher Military School in Turkey and completed that school with high results. Today, I am always proud of my brother. His love for the homeland, his services, and his heroism are a great source of pride for us."
