UPDATE 2 - Turkish officials praise Azerbaijan on Karabakh victory

UPDATES WITH REMARKS OF KILICDAROGLU, EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Dilan Pamuk and Gozde Bayar

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's ruling party members and opposition leaders on Tuesday congratulated Azerbaijan for liberating its lands in the Nagorno-Karabakh region from Armenia's occupation.

"Azerbaijan's legitimate right and victory have finally been acknowledged by the enemy. Armenia has had to retreat and surrender from Karabakh which it had occupied and where it had committed massacres," Mustafa Sentop, the speaker of Turkish parliament, said on Twitter.

Early Tuesday, Azerbaijan and Armenia announced an agreement to put an end to conflict over Upper Karabakh, or Nagorno Karabakh, an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan.

Sentop also congratulated the Azerbaijani army and commemorated the martyrs.

"A tragic page of history has closed with Azerbaijan's victory in Karabakh."

Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin, too, applauded Baku on Twitter.

"Karabakh is now free. Karabakh is Azerbaijan. Turkey will remain by Azerbaijan's side both in the field and on the table," Kalin said.

Vice President Fuat Oktay on social media said: "'Karabakh is Azerbaijan,' we shouted out, faithfully, as one voice. Now Karabakh is Azerbaijan. May your joy, our joy be eternal Azerbaijan."

"The great fight ongoing for years has been crowned with victory, Azerbaijan has won a clear victory on the field," said Omer Celik, the spokesman for the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, on Twitter.

"Turkey, with our president's determined stance, has been by Azerbaijan's side since the beginning of the operation. It is seen that Turkey stands with Azerbaijan on the table regarding the truce agreement, as did on the field," he added.

National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Turkey will continue to stand by Azerbaijan during the process of return of all Azerbaijani lands occupied by Armenia, maintaining peace in the region, and meeting the conditions of the cease-fire.

"We welcome the victory of our Azerbaijani brothers and sisters who have fought for a right struggle to reclaim their own lands that have been occupied for nearly 30 years, and to end Armenia's barbarous attacks," Akar said on Twitter.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, chairman of the main opposition Republican People's Party, said on Twitter: "I welcome with pride the truce agreement which legitimizes Azerbaijan's rightful fight against the occupation of its lands, and congratulate Azerbaijan's victory cordially."

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Azerbaijan and Armenia signed the deal to create the necessary conditions for a long-term and comprehensive solution to the longstanding conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

The announcement brought scenes of enthusiastic celebrations in many Azerbaijani cities, with thousands carrying both Azerbaijani and Turkish flags, singing national anthems and dancing in the streets.

Relations between the two former Soviet republics over Upper Karabakh have remained tense since 1991, but fresh clashes broke out on Sept. 27. Since then, Armenia has repeatedly attacked Azerbaijani civilians and forces, even violating three humanitarian cease-fire agreements.