On June 26 - Armed Forces Day, everyone congratulates the Azerbaijani Army. The most sacred rank in this army is neither general, nor colonel, nor soldier... The highest name in this army is Martyr.
Martyrdom is such a peak where there is no difference in age or rank. On that peak, there is only one goal - the Motherland. Love for the Motherland is a national-spiritual value capable of sacrificing one's life and personal interests for the sake of the people, nation, and land. Thousands of our sons, who loved the Motherland with their hearts and souls, were ready to sacrifice their lives for Azerbaijan without blinking an eye.
In the history of the First and Second Karabakh wars, there are families who entrusted not one, but two sons to the earth. There are mothers who tied a black scarf twice. There are fathers who walked behind the coffins of their two sons with the same tears.
They are the people who carried the heaviest burden of Azerbaijan on their shoulders.
In the First Karabakh War, thousands of young people sacrificed their lives for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. The pain of that period lasted for years.
In the Patriotic War of 2020, the children of those families took up arms again.
It was as if history gave them the same test for the second time...
Modern.az website presents an article about martyr brothers:
The Gasimov brothers…
Hasanqulu Gasimov (Hasan Korkmaz), one of the brave sons of Gubadli, was one of the heroic martyrs of the First Karabakh War. His combat path started in Shusha, continued in Lachin, and ended in Gubadli. He was single. On the green ribbon he tied to his forehead during the Karabakh War, it was written "Hasan Korkmaz". Hasan Korkmaz was posthumously awarded the "Azerbaijan Flag" order in 1994.
After Hasanqulu was martyred in Gubadli, his younger brother Faiq vowed to avenge him. Therefore, he decided to become a soldier. Faiq had served in the Azerbaijani Army for nearly 30 years until the Patriotic War. When the Patriotic War began, Faiq Gasimov, who joined the battles from the direction of Fuzuli region, was martyred in military operations for that region on the night of September 27-28. Lieutenant Colonel Faiq Gasimov was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Patriotic War.
It should be noted that 5 brothers from the Gasimov family fought for Karabakh: 2 were martyred, 3 were veterans…
Three martyr brothers from one family...
The Aslanovs are one of the families with very few parallels in the history of martyrdom in Azerbaijan. It can even be noted that they are one of the rare families who gave three martyrs from the same family.
The fate of the Aslanov family from Shelli village of Aghdam is one of the most painful pages of the Karabakh War. Father Kazim Aslanov sent his four sons – Vidadi, Khagani, Hasil, and Sabiq to fight for the Motherland. Three of these four brothers – Vidadi, Khagani, and Hasil – rose to the peak of martyrdom. Khagani Aslanov was heroically martyred on February 26, 1992, in the battles for the rescue of civilians in Khojaly.
One year later – on July 23, 1993, the day Aghdam was occupied, brothers Vidadi and Hasil Aslanov also fought until their last breath during the defense of Shelli village and were martyred.
The fourth brother, Sabiq Aslanov, although seriously wounded in the battles, survived and became a veteran. One family sacrificed three sons for the Motherland.
Shepherd Khanish's grandchildren
The fate of brothers Elgun and Altay Movlanov from Lerik region is a completely different epic.
Elgun was martyred on September 30, 2020, in the battles in the direction of Aghjakand settlement of Goranboy region. Elgun was also Lerik's first martyr in the Second Karabakh War.
At that time, 20-year-old Altay, who was serving in the military for an extended period, heard that his brother had been martyred, but did not attend Elgun's funeral to avoid leaving his comrades-in-arms alone.
Although he was offered leave for the funeral, Altay refused this offer.
One month after his brother's death, Altay himself rose to the peak of martyrdom. He was martyred in the battles for Fuzuli. Both brothers were buried side by side in Lerik.
Martyr brothers Elgun and Altay Movlanov are the grandchildren of the late Khanish Shahiyev from Lerik, who was once famous for his personal friendship with national leader Heydar Aliyev and known as "shepherd Khanish".
The story of Iman and Bahram
One of the most touching stories of the Patriotic War is related to the brothers Iman and Bahram Mammadzade. When the Patriotic War began, the brothers were told that one of them could stay in the rear, and the other could go to the front. Both brothers refused this offer. Then the brothers were informed that both of them could stay in the rear. They also refused this offer.
The Mammadzades chose the front line and said: "Either we will return together, or we will be martyred together."
The brothers kept their word. Both brothers were martyred in the same battle.
On November 2, in the battle in the direction of Qirmizibazar settlement of Khojavand, 11 out of 14 personnel were martyred, and 3 were wounded... Brothers Iman and Bahram Mammadzade were also among the martyred.
Twin brothers – Martyr brothers
Nazir and Tacir Allahverdiyevs were twin brothers who sacrificed their lives for the independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Two sons of one family...
Two brothers who grew up with the warmth of the same hearth, shared the same bread, and lived with the same dreams...
As children, they probably played football in the same yard and walked the same school paths. Although life tested them at different times, fate wrote the same sacred mission for both of them – to protect the Motherland.
Twin brothers from Aghdam region - Nazir and Tacir Allahverdiyevs were martyred in October 2020. On October 22, a mortar shell fell on them, and both lost their lives. Both were awarded the medals "For the Motherland" and "For the Liberation of Khojavand".
Javid and Chingiz Mammadovs
The fate of brothers Javid and Chingiz Mammadov from Yeniabad village of Shamkir is also one of the most painful pages of the Patriotic War. Both were professional soldiers. The elder brother Javid was martyred on September 28, 2020, in the battles in the direction of Sugovushan. Just a few days later, on October 1, his younger brother Chingiz was also heroically killed in battles in the Murov-Sugovushan direction.
Martyrs' mother Faya Mammadova's words "They left me without sons, but they did not leave me without a Motherland" express the pain and pride not only of one family but of all Azerbaijan. Both brothers were heads of families. Each of them left two children entrusted to the Motherland.
The elder brother Javid was awarded the medals "For the Motherland", "For Military Services", "For the Liberation of Sugovushan" and "For the Liberation of Lachin", while the younger brother Chingiz Mammadov was awarded the medals "For the Motherland", "For Military Services", "Brave Warrior" and "For the Liberation of Kalbajar".
In September 2023, a very joyful event took place: twin siblings of brothers Chingiz and Javid Mammadov were born. The newborns were named Huseyn and Zahra.
Mingachevir brothers
Mingachevir is also the city where martyr brothers rest. Ali and Islam Ahmadov brothers joined the battle for the same cause on the first day of the Patriotic War. Although they fought in different directions, fate united them on the same day – September 27, 2020, at the peak of martyrdom. One fought for the Motherland until his last breath in the Tartar-Aghdara direction, and the other in the Sugovushan direction. One was 27, the other 26 years old. One was engaged, the other single.
Mother Sevinj, who raised her children without a father, was preparing for Ali's wedding. Losing two sons on the same day for a mother is perhaps an indescribable grief. But Mother Sevinj had pride along with her tears. Because although she lost her sons, she gave two heroic children to the history written with their blood for the freedom of the Motherland.
Ali and Islam's unfulfilled dreams live on today in our tricolor flag waving in the sky of liberated Karabakh.
Special forces brothers
Heroic brothers from Masalli – Nurlan and Intigam Asgarli proved that love for the Motherland is stronger than blood brotherhood. They were born and raised in Vilash village of Masalli. Both were warrant officers of the Special Forces. The younger brother Nurlan destroyed a significant number of enemy personnel in the battles in the direction of Talish village during the April battles of 2016. The 21-year-old warrior was martyred in front of his brother Intigam's eyes. It was the elder brother Intigam who carried his p from the battlefield under a hail of bullets.
Intigam buried his brother that day, but he made a vow in his heart – he would continue Nurlan's unfinished battle. Four years later, on the path of victory to Shusha in the Patriotic War, he avenged both his brother and all our martyrs and himself rose to the peak of martyrdom. Now Nurlan and Intigam are eternally reunited under the shadow of the same cause, the same flag.
In the Asgarov family, Intigam's daughter named Nur, who was martyred at the age of 30, is growing up. She was named Nur in honor of her uncle Nurlan, who was martyred in April.
These stories are the fate not only of a few families but of the Azerbaijani people.
Today, wherever we see an Azerbaijani soldier, we look at him with respect and reverence.
Because we know that behind the soldier's uniform stands the legacy of thousands of martyrs.
And within that legacy are the stories of martyr brothers.
June 26 - Armed Forces Day is also a day to respectfully commemorate the sacred memory of Vidadi, Khagani, Hasil, Nazir, Tacir, Javid, Chingiz, Elgun, Altay, Ali, Islam, and all martyr brothers who sacrificed their lives for the Motherland.
Afgan Gafarli
