Female commander of Azerbaijan Shirinova visited the grave of Nene Hatun

Aida Shirinova was born in the town of Berde located in Karabakh Plain in 1959 and decided to become a soldier after the Armenians killed 613 Azerbaijani Turks in Khojaly in 1992. Shirinova served as a lieutenant colonel in the Azerbaijani army until 1998, and also fought in front in the Nagorno-Karabakh war. Lieutenant Colonel Shirinova served as a commander in the Azerbaijan army for about 6 years and later was appointed as a police officer by the decision of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Shirinova retired after serving as a police officer for nearly 28 years.

VISITED NENE HATUN’S GRAVE

Aida Shirinova came to Erzurum after the program she was invited to in Kayseri. Shirinova chatted with the people of the region after praying at Turkish heroine Nene Hatun’s grave in Aziziye Bastion. Shirinova said, “The people who fight for our homeland, our peoples, our nations are the light of our eyes. I read about Nene Hatun and Kara (Black) Fatma. I am happy to visit Nene Hatun's grave, which I have wanted with my heart for years. It is written in the magazines I read, when Nene Hatun was going to war, they said to her, 'You have a 3-month-old child, don't go to war. She replied, 'My child can grow up without a mother, can live without a mother, but neither can my child grow up nor live without a state'. We want our children to have a good future and be free. Nene Hatun, of course, I am her continuation. They ask me a lot about war and women. They say that war is hard and tough for women. And I say that in war there are no men and women.”

‘TURKISH WOMEN ARE WARRIORS FOR LIFE’

Talking about the statue of Nene Hatun with her child on her back and an ax in her hand, Shirinova said:
“Sometimes a song or a poem takes people to war. A woman leaving her child behind to go to war. It was the same with us in 1992. We fought with the ax and the pitchfork. There weren't that many weapons. We went to war with them. I saw the statue of Nene Hatun, a person should also fight with an ax and a pitchfork in accordance with human dignity and honor. Every nation is known for its hero. We are also noticed by our heroines as well as by our heroes. Turkish women are warriors for life.”

'WE ARE GRATEFUL TO OUR TURKISH BROTHERS AND SISTERS’

Expressing her joy that Karabakh rejoined Azerbaijan after the 44-day war Shirinova said, “It would be an understatement to express our gratitude to our Turkish brothers and sisters. In 1992, there were various states behind the Armenians, we lost our land. At that time, there were many heroic people among us. But I am very sorry that we lost our lands because of those states. In the last 44-day war, I proudly say on behalf of all Azerbaijani people that we saw our Turkish brothers and sisters on our side. Now there is no house in Azerbaijan that does not have Turkish and Azerbaijani flags.”