Ministry of Defense (Azerbaijan)

Coat of arms of Azerbaijani Land Forces

The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan Respublikasının Müdafiə Nazirliyi) is the Azerbaijani government ministry, associated with the Azerbaijani military. The ministry is responsible for keeping Azerbaijan defended against external threats, preserving its territorial integrity, waging war on behalf of Azerbaijan (for example the current Azerbaijani contribution to the War on Terror in Afghanistan and Iraq), and the surveillance of the Azerbaijani sector of Caspian Sea sea and airspace. The Minister of Defense is appointed and removed from the post by the Commander-in-chief of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, President of Azerbaijan.

The current Defense Minister is Zakir Hasanov.

History

In the midst of dissolution of Soviet Union and political turmoil in Azerbaijan in late 1980s, Azerbaijani military played an important role in the struggle for and retaining power.

Ministers of Defense of Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan Democratic Republic

№	President		Term of office			Political party	Government	Elected	Ref
	Portrait	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Days
1		Khosrov bey Sultanov Xosrov bəy Sultanov (1879–1947)	27 May 1918	11 June 1918	15	Ittihad	1. Rasulzade I	1918	[1]
			Won the Battle of Baku; Established two infantry divisions consisting of three regiments, artillery division, special telegraph, cavalry and machine gun platoons, railway battalions.
2		Fatali Khan Khoyski Fətəli-xan Xoyski (1875–1920)	7 November 1918	25 December 1918	48	Independent	2. Topchubashov I	1918	[2]
3		Samad bey Mehmandarov Səməd bəy Mehmandarov (1855–1931)	25 December 1918	28 April 1920	731	Independent	3. Topchubashov I	1918	[3]
			1920 Ganja revolt; Failed to slow down the advance of 11th Red Army on Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

Heads of Military Department of Azerbaijan SSR

People's Commissars for Military and Naval Affairs of Azerbaijan SSR

(the list is incomplete)

№	Chairman		Term of office			Political party	Government	Elected	Ref
	Portrait	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Days
1		Chingiz Ildyrym Çingiz İldırım (1890–1938)	28 April 1920	5 June 1920	38	Communist (Bolsheviks)	1. Hüseynov I	—	[4]
2		Aliheydar Garayev Aliheydar Garayev (1896–1938)	5 June 1920	20 June 1920	15	Communist (Bolsheviks)	2. Hüseynov I	—	[5]

Azerbaijan Republic

№	President		Term of office			Political party	Government	Elected	Ref
	Portrait	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Days
1		Valeh Barshadly Valeh Bərşadlı (1927–1999)	5 September 1991	11 December 1991	97	Military	Mütəllibov II	1991	[6]
			During his term as Chief of Staff, Azerbaijani army has achieved successful military victories on the Karabakh front; Prevented the ammunition from being destroyed when the remaining Soviet army was pulling out of Azerbaijan in 1992.
2		Tajeddin Mehdiyev Tacəddin Mehdiyev (19??–)	11 December 1991	17 February 1992	68	Military	Mütəllibov II	1971
			Led an unsuccessful operation in Dashalty; Malibeyli and Gushchular Massacre.
–		Shahin Musayev (Acting) Şahin Musayev (19??–)	17 February 1992	24 February 1992	7	Military	–	–	[7]
			Capture of Garadaghly.
3		Tahir Aliyev Tahir Əliyev (1952–)	24 February 1992	16 March 1992	21	Military	–	1992	[8]
			Khojaly Massacre.
4		Rahim Gaziyev Rəhim Qazıyev (1943–)	17 March 1992	20 February 1993	340	Azerbaijani Popular Front Party	4. Elçibəy I	1992
			Capture of Shusha.
5		Dadash Rzayev Dadaş Rzayev (1935–)	20 February 1993	17 June 1993	147	Azerbaijani Popular Front Party	5. Elçibəy I	1993	[9]
			Sacked by President Abulfaz Elchibey for taking a part during skirmishes during the Ganja revolt.
–		Safar Abiyev (Acting) Səfər Əbiyev (1950–)	17 June 1993	7 August 1993	51	New Azerbaijan Party	–	–
–		Vahid Musayev (Acting) Vahid Musayev (1947–1999)	7 August 1993	25 August 1993	18	New Azerbaijan Party	–	–	[10]
			Arresting for being part of coup d'état attempt against Heydar Aliyev.
6		Mammadrafi Mammadov Məmmədrəfi Məmmədov (1942–)	2 September 1993	6 February 1995	522	New Azerbaijan Party	6. H.Əliyev II	1993	[11]
			Bishkek Protocol.
7		Safar Abiyev Səfər Əbiyev (1950–)	6 February 1995	22 October 2013	6833	New Azerbaijan Party	7. H.Əliyev II	1995	[12]
			During Abiyev's tenure as defense minister, Azerbaijan has signed military cooperation agreements with Turkey, the United States, Pakistan and others; Partnership for Peace.
8		Zakir Hasanov Zakir Həsənov (1959–)	22 October 2013	Present	1151	New Azerbaijan Party	8. İ.Əliyev I	2013	[13]

See also

• Azerbaijani Armed Forces
• Military history of Azerbaijan
• Prime Minister of Azerbaijan
• Cabinet of Azerbaijan

References

1. "Azərbaycan Demokratik Cümhuriyyətinin ilk qəhrəman hərbi naziri – Xosrov bəy Sultanovun doğum günüdür" [Birthday of the first Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic - Khosrov bey Sultanov]. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
2. Fuad Akhundov (Spring 1998). "Alimardan Topchubashev - Minister of Foreign Affairs (1862-1934)". Azerbaijan International. p. 31. Retrieved 2010-07-09.
3. "Azerbaijan marks 96th anniversary of its armed forces". news.az. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
4. "İldırımlı yollarla" [On path of a lightening]. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
5. "Azərbaycanda Aprel sosialist inqilabı" [April Socialist Revolution in Azerbaijan]. Retrieved 2010-07-21.
6. "The Center of Effective Initiatives". Retrieved 2010-07-12.
7. "Müdafiə Nazirliyinin yaranmasının 18 ili tamam oldu" [18 years pass since establishment of the Ministry of Defense]. Retrieved 2010-07-15.
8. "Azərbaycan Respublikası Müdafiə Şurasının yaradılması haqqında AZƏRBAYCAN RESPUBLİKASI PREZİDENTİNİN FƏRMANI" [Order of President of Azerbaijan Republic on establishment of Defense Council]. Retrieved 2011-01-05.
9. Rashad Suleymanov (2008-12-06). "73 yaşlı Azərbaycan generalı təyarədən paraşütlə tullanacaq. Interview" [A 73-year-old Azerbaijani general will parachute. Interview]. Lent.az. Retrieved 2010-07-14.
10. "Müdafiə Nazirliyinin yaranmasının 18 ili tamam oldu" [18 years pass since establishment of the Ministry of Defense]. Retrieved 2010-07-13.
11. "Вооруженным силам Азербайджана исполняется 89 лет" [Armed Forces of Azerbaijan turn 89]. Retrieved 2010-07-13.
12. Azerbaijan's Unsinkable General
13. "Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan". Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan. 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2014.

External links

• Azerbaijani Army being reformed according to NATO standards