Editing Heydar Aliyev (section)

==Coup Details (June–October 1993):==
Trigger: Elchibey’s government faced military setbacks in Nagorno-Karabakh, losing territory to Armenian forces. In June 1993, a military rebellion led by Colonel Surat Huseynov, a warlord and former ally, erupted in Ganja. Huseynov’s forces marched on Baku, exploiting public discontent with Elchibey’s leadership.

Aliyev’s Role: Aliyev, then a Nakhchivan political figure, capitalized on the chaos. He was invited to Baku as a mediator but quickly aligned with Huseynov. Elchibey fled to Nakhchivan on June 24, 1993, effectively ceding power. Aliyev was appointed acting president by parliament, consolidating control by October. Aliyev was supported by the western powers.

Outcome: Aliyev won a presidential election in October 1993 with 98.8% of the vote, widely criticized as fraudulent. He purged Elchibey’s allies, arrested opposition leaders, and established an authoritarian regime. Huseynov was briefly made prime minister but later arrested for plotting another coup.