Azernews.Az

Qabil Ashirov

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Reconstruction and restoration work in conflict-riddled Garabagh is progressing at full speed, aiming to resettle over 700,000 IDPs and breathe new life into the region. However, there are significant obstacles—more precisely, concealed war crimes—that impede the process.

Landmines and unexploded ordnances (UXOs) pose significant challenges to reconstruction efforts. Garabagh ranks among the most heavily contaminated regions worldwide by these deadly remnants of conflict. Another haunting vestige of war impeding reconstruction is the presence of mass graves.

It is worth noting that during the First Garabagh War, more than 4,000 Azerbaijani citizens—including imprisoned civilians and soldiers held by the Armenian Armed Forces—went missing. Most notably, before going missing, some of them exchanged letters with their families through the ICRC while in Armenian custody. More than 30 years later, Armenia still refuses to cooperate in efforts to uncover the fate of these individuals.

In the absence of that cooperation, Azerbaijan alone has taken every possible effort to shed light on the fate of its missing citizens. In fact, the ongoing reconstruction and restoration work in Garabagh plays a crucial role in this process. During these efforts, mass graves have been repeatedly unearthed.

For example, in the past two days, two graves have been discovered in the liberated territories, once again. The first was uncovered in Hoçaz village, Kalbajar district, which was occupied by Armenian forces in 1993 and liberated by the Azerbaijani Army in 2020. According to media reports, a local resident uncovered skeletal remains while clearing a path to access his former home.

After finding the bones, the villagers halted excavation work and alerted the relevant authorities.

Reserve serviceman and current military expert Adalet Verdiyev also addressed the incident in a post on his official Facebook page, noting that four of his soldiers had gone missing in that very area 33 years ago.

It is worth mentioning that the village changed hands multiple times during the First Garabagh War. What the forensic analysis reveals remains to be seen.

The second grave was turned up during construction work in Qizil Kergerli village, Agdam district, on July 11. Construction was halted and law enforcement officials were called to the site. In both cases, biological samples were collected to help identify the remains.

Although such turnups increase reconstruction costs and delay the return of IDPs—who have waited over three decades to see their hometowns—they also kindle a spark of hope in the hearts of families of the missing, offering the possibility of finally laying loved ones to rest.