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Akbar Novruz

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Efforts to identify Azerbaijanis who went missing during the First Garabagh War continue to yield results, reflecting the country’s ongoing commitment to restoring the dignity of those who disappeared during the conflict, Azernews reports.

Ali Nagiyev, Chairman of the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Missing and Hostage Citizens, announced during the international conference on “Joining efforts and expanding cooperation to resolve the problem of missing persons” that the identities of 251 missing individuals have been established so far.

Information about 187 of them has already been made public, and their remains have been returned to their families for burial in accordance with national and religious traditions. The names of 14 more identified persons are expected to be announced today, while data on another 50 will be disclosed following the completion of legal and investigative procedures.

Nagiyev noted that anthropological studies conducted on the discovered remains confirm they belong to Azerbaijanis who went missing during the First Garabagh War. “Currently, the necessary work is being continued by the State Commission to identify other discovered remains,” he said.

Following the end of the Second Garabagh War in November 2020, a comprehensive process of locating graves, conducting excavations, and identifying remains began in February 2021.

According to Nagiyev, as of October 1, 2025, the remains of about 800 missing persons have been recovered from the liberated territories. “From 29 mass graves discovered in those areas, the remains of 218 individuals believed to belong to them were identified and exhumed with the participation of investigative bodies,” he stated.

He added that large-scale construction activities in the liberated areas have led to the discovery and exhumation of the remains of 342 people. In addition, 210 individuals who perished during the First Garabagh War and were buried without identification in 31 cemeteries across 20 cities and regions were also exhumed from graves of unknown martyrs.

These efforts mark a significant step toward bringing closure to hundreds of Azerbaijani families and ensuring that the memory of those who went missing in the First Garabagh War is honored with the respect they deserve.