Launch of the Lankaran Operation, 14th August – 3rd September
The Lankaran Operation was a military campaign conducted by the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) in August 1919 to establish control over the Lankaran region, which had been under Bolshevik influence.
Following detailed reconnaissance and strategic planning, including a meeting on the 5th July, 1919, in Baku, led by Minister of War Samad bey Mehmandarov, the ADR prepared to deploy an infantry regiment, a cavalry squadron, artillery units, armored cars, and airplanes to the region.
The operation commenced on August 14, 1919, when Azerbaijani forces departed from Hajigabul.
...swift and decisive action effectively ended Bolshevik control...
General Habib Bey Salimov played a key role in the Lankaran Operation, leading Azerbaijani forces to successfully eliminate Bolshevik influence, secure the region, and assert the ADR's sovereignty in 1919.
By the 23rd August, 1919, they successfully reached Lankaran, disarming rebellious forces and collecting a significant number of weapons, which were subsequently sent to Baku.
This swift and decisive action effectively ended Bolshevik control in the region, restoring stability and asserting the sovereignty of the ADR over Lankaran.
The success of the Lankaran Operation was instrumental in consolidating the ADR's authority in its southern territories.
It also demonstrated the government's capability to conduct coordinated military campaigns to suppress internal dissent and counter external influences.
The operation's outcome contributed to the broader efforts of the ADR to maintain its independence and territorial integrity during a period marked by regional instability and competing political forces.
