Azerbaijan Increases Armed Forces Personnel, Says Hasanov

The Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan, Zakir Hasanov, has announced an increase in the number of armed forces personnel, as reported by AzeSputnik.

“Operational (commando) units and the National Defense University have been established within the structure of the Azerbaijani army. This includes an increase in the number and capabilities of special forces and naval personnel through optimization,” said the minister in an interview with local media.

Speaking about the changes, Hasanov noted that after the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev instructed to elevate the Azerbaijani army to a new level that would resemble a smaller model of the Turkish Armed Forces, as well as to provide the troops with the latest weaponry and military technology.