The 44-day Patriotic War was remembered in the history of Azerbaijan not only as a military-political victory but also as a living proof of how the people could mobilize around a single ideal. The selflessness of Azerbaijani youth and the struggle for the Motherland were accompanied by losses. We gave martyrs for the restoration of our territorial integrity...
The Modern.az website continues its column "The Last Photo Remaining from a Martyr" with the aim of preserving the memory of the heroes of the 44-day Patriotic War. This time, our focus is Xudayar Yusifzade.
Rada Gurbanov, the mother of Xudayar, who ascended to the peak of martyrdom in the battles for Zangilan, speaks about his last photo:
"These photos I am presenting are Xudayar's last images taken in Zangilan. He points to Zangilan and addresses his grandmother: 'Oh, grandma, grandma...'"
He says, "I will go to your native land; you said you had a beautiful home there, let me see what remains, what is there..."
He doesn't say, "we fought," he says, "we took Zangilan with our brothers." He sends footage from there to his grandmother, saying, "This is beautiful Zangilan."
He deliberately does not mention the severity of the battle so that his grandmother would not worry. On the eve of Zangilan's liberation, he feels that danger could be present at any moment, anywhere. Therefore, he instructs the children not to separate from each other, but to stay together.
When Xudayar goes to check the surroundings, his fellow soldiers call out to him loudly. After these images, taken at night, heavy, large-scale battles began in the region as soon as morning broke. In the images, all the soldiers are in a state of exhaustion.
The areas shown in the images are located on the Zangilan road. The photo taken in a black shirt, next to a tree, is his last image.
The picture taken on the bridge also belongs to those days. In another photo, bloodstains are visible on Xudayar's uniform. These photos, taken during the days of Zangilan's liberation, are also the last pictures remaining from Xudayar".
Junior Warrant Officer Xudayar Yusifzade of the Border Troops participated in the Patriotic War, which began on September 27, 2020, for the liberation of territories under Armenian occupation and the restoration of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.
He initially served at a border post in Fuzuli district. He then continued his service by fighting. He fought in the battles for the liberation of Murovdağ, Fuzuli, Jabrayil, and Zangilan.
Xudayar Yusifzade was martyred on October 22 while carrying out a combat mission in the direction of Aghband settlement of Zangilan. He was buried in the Alley of Martyrs in Barda city.
For his services in combat operations for ensuring and restoring the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, Xudayar Yusifzade was posthumously awarded the "For the Motherland" medal and the "Azerbaijani Flag" Order by the Decree of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev dated December 15, 2020. For demonstrating personal bravery and courage in the battles for the liberation of Zangilan district from occupation, he was posthumously awarded the "For the Liberation of Zangilan" medal by the Decree of the President dated December 25, 2020. In addition, Xudayar Yusifzade, who was martyred while honorably fulfilling his combat missions, was also awarded the "For the Liberation of Jabrayil" medal for his bravery and courage.
