Azerbaijan starts command-staff military exercises

/By AzerNews/

By Sara Rajabova

The first phase of command and staff military exercises, which will evaluate combat readiness and effectiveness for all range of troops of the Azerbaijani armed forces, has been launched.

Azerbaijan’s defense ministry reported on September 7 that the exercises would last until September 13.

In the first stage of the command and staff games, combat aircrafts was located at alternate airfields, while formations and units of rocket and artillery troops were taken to starting positions.

The movement of columns and military cargo is being carried out under the protection of air defense forces.

The commandant service has been managing roads and routes to control the movement of military equipment and personnel.

In the meantime, the Turkish and Azerbaijani Air Forces are holding joint tactical exercises entitled "TurAz Qartali-2015".

The exercises, which are held as part of a joint annual military plan, will last until September 18.

Azerbaijan came in second after the United Kingdom in Europe in terms of arms spending after it increased its arms imports by 249 percent over the past ten years, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reported.

Standing strong against Armenia's unceasing operations along the line of contact, the Azerbaijani leadership has moved to formulate the necessary armament policy by adhering to international requirements.

Azerbaijan's military build-up is in line with the country's legal right to liberate its occupied lands by means of war, should it be necessary.

Azerbaijan's internationally recognized Nagorno-Karabakh territory turned into a conflict zone following Armenia's aggression in the early 1990s. As a result of an armed invasion, 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory fell under Armenian occupation. Nonetheless, the OSCE has attempted to foster a peaceful resolution to this conflict amid Armenia's persistent derailment.