Azernews.Az

Qabil Ashirov

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The remains of 16 Azerbaijani citizens who went missing during the First Garabagh War will soon be laid to rest, according to the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Persons, Azernews reports.

To recall, over 4,000 Azerbaijanis went missing during the First Garabagh War in the early 1990s. Most of them were captured by Armenian forces and, for a time, were able to exchange letters with their families through the International Committee of the Red Cross. Tragically, all contact with these individuals was later severed, and their fate remained unknown for decades.

Despite Azerbaijan’s repeated appeals and official requests, the Armenian side has consistently refused to provide information about the missing persons or cooperate in clarifying their fate. This lack of transparency has prolonged the suffering of thousands of Azerbaijani families still searching for closure.

Following the Second Garabagh War and the liberation of previously occupied territories, several mass graves have been discovered in areas once controlled by Armenian forces. Forensic examinations and DNA analyses have allowed the identification of dozens of missing individuals, whose remains have since been returned to their families for burial.

The identification and reburial of these 16 individuals mark another solemn yet significant step in Azerbaijan’s ongoing efforts to account for its missing citizens and bring long-awaited peace to their families.