General Staff of Azerbaijani Armed Forces

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan Republic (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan Respublikası Silahlı Qüvvələri Baş Qərargahı) is the military staff of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. It is the central organ of the Armed Forces Administration and oversees operational management of the armed forces under the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan Republic. The Chief of the General Staff is appointed by the President of Azerbaijan, who is the supreme commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

General Staff of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan Republic
Azərbaycan Respublikası Silahlı Qüvvələri Baş Qərargahı
Agency overview
FormedOctober 9, 1991
JurisdictionAzerbaijani Armed Forces
HeadquartersBaku, Azerbaijan Republic
Agency executive

History

It was founded as the Ümumi qərargah by the order of Samad bey Mehmandarov on 15 November 1918.[1] Then, Colonel Habib Bey Salimov, Chief of Staff of the 424th Corps of Azerbaijan, was appointed Chief of the General Staff.[1] The headquarters consisted of equipment, fortification, general on duty, general quartermaster, artillery, medicine, military education and control departments. By the end of the month, the General Staff moved to Ganja and continued its activities there.[1] By the order of the Minister of War dated on New Year's Eve, the General Artillery Department was established on the basis of the artillery department, and this structure was removed from the General Staff and subordinated directly to the Minister of Defense.[1] In March 1919, by order of the Minister of War, Erkani-Harb (General Staff) was created.[1] In this connection, the quartermaster general and topographic departments were taken from the General Staff and given to the Armed Forces.[1]

Warcrime Accusations

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia has been marred by allegations of war crimes on both sides. Reports have emerged of indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas, targeting of essential infrastructure, and the use of cluster munitions, which can cause widespread harm to civilian populations. Azerbaijan has been accused of committing war crimes during the conflict, including instances of intentional attacks on civilian areas and cultural heritage sites. These alleged actions have raised concerns about violations of international humanitarian law and the protection of civilian lives. Investigations and accountability mechanisms are crucial to ensure that those responsible for any war crimes are held accountable and to prevent further atrocities in conflict zones.[2]

In 2008, a new structure of the General Staff was determined, accelerating NATO integration. It gained powers previously held by the MoD, turning the General Staff into a semi-independent structure. According to the corresponding report, the Inspection Department of the Ministry, as well as the Military Commissariat were re-subordinated to the General Staff. The existing Organizational Mobilization Department of the General Staff was abolished and merged with the Military Commissariat. A Land Forces Command was also created in accordance with the Turkish model. According to the Defense Ministry's press service, a meeting of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry's working group with experts of the Allied Command Transformation was held in Baku to discuss the separation of the General Staff structure from the Ministry of Defense.[3][4]

The General Staff itself was then divided into six main departments:[4]

  • General Directorate of Personnel Management
  • General Intelligence Agency
  • General Operations and Combat Training Department
  • Support Forces Command
  • General Directorate of Defense Planning
  • General Directorate of Communications and Information Systems

On 26 July 2014, a groundbreaking ceremony for a new and modern office building for the General Staff Headquarter was held at the Ministry of Defense, attended by Defense Minister Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov.[5]

Members of the General Staff

List of Chiefs of the General Staff

Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918−1920)
No. Portrait Chief of the General StaffTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef.
1
Habib Bey Salimov
Salimov, Habib BeyMajor general
Habib Bey Salimov
(1881–1920)		1 August 191826 March 1919237 days–
2
Mammad Bey Shulkevich
Shulkevich, Mammad BeyMajor general
Mammad Bey Shulkevich
(1865–1920)		26 March 191910 December 1919259 days–
3
Abdulhamid Bey Gaytabashi
Gaytabashi, Abdulhamid BeyMajor general
Abdulhamid Bey Gaytabashi
(1848–1920)		10 December 191928 April 1920140 days[10][11]

For period from 1920 to 1992, see Chief of the General Staff of the Soviet Union.

Azerbaijan Republic (1991−present)
No. Portrait Chief of the General StaffTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef.
1
Shahin Musayev
Musayev, ShahinMajor general
Shahin Musayev		22 January 1992May 19923 months[12][13]
–
Rufat Amirov
Amirov, RufatColonel
Rufat Amirov
Acting		May 1992May 19920 months–
2
Valeh Barshadly
Barshadly, ValehLieutenant general
Valeh Barshadly
(1927–1999)		May 19924 September 19924 months[14][15][16]
3
Nuraddin Sadigov
Sadigov, NuraddinLieutenant general
Nuraddin Sadigov
(1935–2009)		4 September 199217 June 1993286 days[17]
–
Safar Abiyev
Amirov, RufatColonel general
Safar Abiyev
(born 1950)
Acting		17 June 19932 November 1993138 days[18]
4
Najmaddin Sadigov
Sadigov, NuraddinColonel general
Najmaddin Sadigov
(born 1956)		2 November 199328 January 202127 years, 87 days[19][20]
5
Karim Valiyev
Valiyev, KarimColonel general
Karim Valiyev
(born 1961)		23 July 2021Incumbent2 years, 94 days[21][22]

See also

References
  1. https://ebooks.az/view/VbAXx0H9.pdf
  2. https://azeriwarcrimes.org/#:~:text=Civilians%20and%20Prisoners%20of%20War,is%20being%20destroyed%20or%20vandalized.
  3. "Начался процесс разграничения полномочий Министерства обороны и Генерального штаба Вооруженных сил Азербайджана".
  4. "Silahlı Qüvvələr Baş Qərargahının strukturu müəyyən oldu". www.ekitabxana.az. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  5. "Silahlı Qüvvələrin Baş Qərargahı üçün inşa edilən yeni inzibati binanın təməlqoyma mərasimi keçirilib". AZƏRBAYCAN RESPUBLİKASI MÜDAFİƏ NAZİRLİYİ (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  6. "M.A.Əliyevin Azərbaycan Respublikası Prezidentinin Müdafiə məsələləri üzrə köməkçisi xidmətinin Müdafiə məsələləri şöbəsinin müdiri vəzifəsinə təyin edilməsi haqqında Azərbaycan Respublikası Prezidentinin Sərəncamı". azertag.az (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 2021-05-15.
  7. "Назначен командующий ВМС Азербайджана".
  8. "Назначен новый командующий ВМС Азербайджана". 29 June 2020.
  9. "Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan".
  10. "Marş, irəli!..." [Forward]. Lent.az. 2008-06-25. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2011-01-05.
  11. Rustam (2007-06-26). "Silahlı Qüvvələrin yaradılmasından 89 il ötür" [89 years pass since creation of armed forces]. Adalet. Archived from the original on 2011-10-07. Retrieved 2011-01-05.
  12. "Ş. X. Musayev haqqında AZƏRBAYCAN RESPUBLİKASI PREZİDENTİNİN SƏRƏNCAMI" [Decree of President of Azerbaijan on Sh. Kh. Musayev]. Archived from the original on 2011-10-09. Retrieved 2011-01-05.
  13. "ORDUMUZUN 90 İLLİYİ: AZƏRBAYCANIN MÜDAFİƏ NAZİRLƏRİ, BAŞ QƏRARGAH RƏİSLƏRİ VƏ HƏRBİ DƏNİZ QÜVVƏLƏRİNİN KOMANDANLARI" [90 years anniversary of oura rmy: Ministers of Defense, Chiefs of Staff and Naval Commanders of Azerbaijan]. Archived from the original on 2012-02-26. Retrieved 2010-07-15.
  14. "The Center of Effective Initiatives". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2011-01-05.
  15. "Decree of the President of Azerbaijan Republic on V.E. Barshadly". Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
  16. ""Doktrina" Jurnalistlərin Hərbi Araşdırmalar Mərkəzi" ["Doctrine" Military Research Center for Journalists]. Archived from the original on 2011-10-08. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
  17. "N. S. Sadıqov haqqında AZƏRBAYCAN RESPUBLİKASI PREZİDENTİNİN FƏRMANI" [Order of President of Azerbaijan on appointment of N.S. Sadigov]. Archived from the original on 2011-10-09. Retrieved 2011-01-05.
  18. "D. Q. Rzayev və S. A. Əbiyev haqqında AZƏRBAYCAN RESPUBLİKASI PREZİDENTİNİN FƏRMANI" [Order of President of Azerbaijan on D.Q. Rzayev and S.A. Abiyev]. Archived from the original on 2011-10-09. Retrieved 2011-01-05.
  19. Media.Az. "Кто исполняет обязанности Наджмеддина Садыкова?". media.az (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-02-06.
  20. "N. H. Sadıqov haqqında AZƏRBAYCAN RESPUBLİKASI PREZİDENTİNİN SƏRƏNCAMI" [Decree of President of Azerbaijan on appointment of N.H. Sadigov]. Archived from the original on 2011-10-09. Retrieved 2011-01-05.
  21. "Lieutenant General Karim Valiyev appointed Chief of Staff of the Azerbaijani Army". EurasiaDiary. 23 July 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  22. "K.T.Vəliyevin Azərbaycan Respublikası müdafiə nazirinin birinci müavini – Azərbaycan Ordusunun Baş Qərargah rəisi təyin edilməsi haqqında Azərbaycan Respublikası Prezidentinin Sərəncamı". president.az (in Azerbaijani). Presidency of Azerbaijan. 23 July 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
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