Book about young Azeri hero

Renowned intellectuals from the occupied Jabrayil province of Azerbaijan have conducted a presentation ceremony of a book, “Soldier Tigana”, dedicated to the youngest Azeri warrior, 15-year-old Samir Aliyev.

At 12, Samir joined a group of volunteers that was defending his native village. He could not be drafted for military service for not being old enough. However, Samir was aiding soldiers with food, water and ammunition, repeatedly saving besieged villagers with badly needed bullets and going on reconnaissance missions to the opposite side.

His love of his motherland, as well as the atrocities perpetrated by Armenian thugs in his native soil, urged Samir to drop school and fearlessly fight against the enemy. In 1990-1993, he was known all along the front-line. The young Azeri hero was nicknamed Tigana for his strong resemblance with a renowned French soccer player Jean Tigana, for his agility and ardor.

The author of the book is a doctor, senior lieutenant of a medical platoon Maleyka Sema. It was in her arms that the deadly wounded Tigana died at the age of 15. His last fight was on August 15, 1993, when he was severely wounded while helping ambushed Azeri soldiers.*