1993 Azerbaijani coup d'état

The 1993 Azeri coup d'état, also known as the Ganja Uprising, was a military coup lead by Azerbaijani military commander Surat Huseynov. On June 4, 1993, Huseynov's forces lead a march from the city of Ganja to the Azerbaijani capital of Baku in order to overthrow President Abulfaz Elchibey. The coup culminated Elchibey fleeing his post and Heydar Aliyev rising to power with Huseynov's backing.

1993 Azerbaijani coup d'état
Part of First Nagorno-Karabakh War

Surat Huseynov and Heydar Aliyev in 1993
Date4-15 June 1993
Location
Ganja and Baku, Azerbaijan
Result

Huseynov militia victory

Belligerents
Huseynov militia Azerbaijani Government
APFP
Commanders and leaders
Surat Huseynov Abulfaz Elchibey
Dadash Rzayev

Context

Azerbaijan declared independence from the USSR in 1991 amid the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Later that year, Azerbaijan became embroiled in the First Nagorno-Karabakh War against the breakaway Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by Armenian forces.

In part due to unrest generated by the conflict, a a coup d'etat deposed the government of Ayaz Mutallibov, who was replaced in elections in 1992 by Abulfaz Elchibey.

Prelude

In the months leading up to the rebellion, divisions grew between Elchibey and top members of the Azerbaijani military apparatus, including Minister of Defense Rahim Gaziev and Captain Surat Huseynov, leader of the 709th Brigade.

In February of 1993, after military personnel reported accusations of insubordination implicating Huseynov and Gaziev, the Elchibey government took action to punish both leaders. Huseynov was ordered back to the capital Baku, but instead brought his troops to Ganja. Gaziev was removed from his post later that month.

In March, an offensive by Armenian forces in the Kalbajar region of Azerbaijan adjoining Nagorno-Karabakh lead to the occupation of Kalbajar, successful in part due to Huseynov's departure. The disastrous defeat placed pressure on the Elchibey administration, which responded by declaring a national State of Emergency.

Rebellion

On June 4, 1993, a contingent of troops sent by Elchibey's government to deal with Huseynov in Ganja were repelled. Following this affront, Huseynov's militia, armed with materiel left by the Russian 104th Airbourne Division, began a "march on Baku" to confront the government.

Immediately afterwards, dozens of Elchibey government officials resigned, and protests erupted demanding a change of government. Faced with strengthening opposition and looking for allies, Elchibey turned to Heydar Aliyev, former Azerbaijani KGB head and chairman of the Nakhchivan Supreme Assembly. Backed by Elchibey, Aliyev mounted a successful bid to become speaker of parliament on June 15.

On June 18, as Huseynov's militia neared the capital of Baku, Elchibey fled to his home Nakhchivan. Order continued to deteriorate when an associate of Huseynov, Talysh nationalist Alikram Hummatov began another rebellion proclaiming an autonomous republic in the Lankaran region.

In the absence of the elected president, on June 24, Speaker Aliyev was granted special powers by the parliament. The following day, Huseynov was appointed Prime Minister, and the political situation began to stabilize.

A referendum held on August 29 formally removed Elchibey from power, enabling Aliyev to be elected constitutional president in the elections held days later.

Aftermath

The tumult caused by the coup allowed Armenian forces to further capture the regions of Agdam, Fuzuli and Jabrail in the summer of 1993. Under the Aliyev government, Azerbaijani counteroffensives saw limited success in recapturing portions of the seized regions. As the conflict ground to a halt, Heydar Aliyev signed a ceasefire in May 1994, ending the war.

In October 1994, relations soured between Aliyev and Huseynov, with the president accusing Huseynov of plotting a coup against Aliyev in league with OPON. Huseynov fled to Russia, where he reunited with his former conspirator Rahim Gaziev. The two were later extradited and sentenced in Azerbaijan. Aliyev remained president, winning contested elections in 1998, until 2003 when power passed to his son Ilham Aliyev.

Deposed president Abulfaz Elchibey remained in Nakhchivan until his return to politics in 1997, later leaving the country for Turkey, where he died in 2000.

See also

References
  • "The Coup of June 1993". Country Studies. Library of Congress.
  • "Azerbaïdjan: la réélection du président Aliev confirmée par la Cour constitutionnelle" [Azerbaijan: the re-election of President Aliyev confirmed by the Constitutional Court]. Le Point (in French). Agence France-Presse. 22 October 2008. Archived from the original on 2017-11-07.
  • Higgins, Andrew (20 June 1993). "Rebel troops bear down on Azeri capital: Brezhnev-era Communist comes out on top over elected President in complex power struggle". The Independent. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  • ^ de Waal, Thomas (2013). "Black Garden" (2nd ed.). p. 226.
  • ^ de Waal, Thomas (2013). "Black Garden" (2nd ed.). p. 223.
  • ^ de Waal, Thomas (2013). "Black Garden" (2nd ed.). p. 263.


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