Azernews.Az

Qabil Ashirov

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Despite more than 30 years having passed, Azerbaijan continues to mend the wounds caused by the First Garabagh War, Azernews reports.

According to the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Persons, about 4,354 people went missing during the First Garabagh War. The Commission emphasises that many of them were prisoners of war who had even corresponded with their families through international organisations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). They later vanished without leaving any trace.

Despite all of Azerbaijan’s efforts, Armenia has so far refused to cooperate in shedding light on the fate of the missing persons. As for the international organisations and countries that scramble to secure the release of separatist leaders currently on trial in Baku, unfortunately, they are sitting on their hands regarding this matter.

Regarding the issue, Azerbaijan intensified its activities in the wake of Garabagh’s liberation. Several mass graves were uncovered, the identities of numerous missing POWs were established, and their remains were laid to rest in the presence of their family members in their hometowns.

The most recent such incident occurred on April 3, when the skeletons of two individuals were discovered in Bash Güneypəyə village, formerly part of the Agdere district. Following DNA testing, the remains were identified as those of Asaddin Novruzov and Ramazon Goyushov. The identity of the latter was confirmed, and he was laid to rest last month. As for Asaddin Novruzov, his identity was established much later, and he is scheduled to be buried tomorrow. Novruzov was born in Mingachevir in 1939. He was martyred on March 12, 1992, in Bash Güneypəyə, when the village was invaded by Armenian armed forces. It is worth noting that the village was liberated during the anti-terror operation on September 19–20, 2023.