Azernews.Az

The first group of residents returned to the Karkijahan settlement of Khankendi on December 20, marking a historic moment for families who had lived as internally displaced persons for many years, Azernews reports.

According to the Public Relations Department of the Restoration, Construction, and Management Service for the city of Khankendi and the districts of Aghdara and Khojaly, 30 families comprising 117 people were resettled in Karkijahan during the initial phase. Homes that were once forcibly abandoned have now reopened their doors to their rightful owners, as the settlement welcomed back its residents after decades of separation.

The key handover ceremony for returning residents began with the playing of the National Anthem of Azerbaijan, followed by a minute of silence in honor of the martyrs. Students from Secondary School No. 4 named after Nizami Ganjavi in Khankendi performed the “Kharibulbul” dance, sang patriotic songs including “From Garabagh to Turan,” “My Nation,” and “Echo of Victory,” and recited the poem “The Commander Who Made History.”

During the official part of the event, Elchin Yusubov, the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the city of Khankendi and the districts of Aghdara and Khojaly, addressed the gathering. Presenting the keys to the new homes, he congratulated the residents and wished them prosperity in their native land. Yusubov emphasized that life is returning to Karkijahan after many years, noting that this return represents not only resettlement but also the continuation of interrupted lives, the end of 34 years of displacement, and the beginning of a new chapter.

He added that all necessary conditions have been created to ensure comfortable living for residents in their hometown, with residential buildings and essential infrastructure fully restored.

Returning residents shared their joy and expressed gratitude to those who made this long-awaited day possible.

Specialists from the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) also held awareness sessions with residents, advising them to remain cautious and avoid suspicious objects.

Karkijahan was historically one of the settlements in Khankendi with a compact Azerbaijani population. Its first settlement dates back to the 18th–19th centuries during the Garabagh Khanate period. During the Soviet era, after Khankendi became a regional center in 1923, Karkijahan continued to be known as a predominantly Azerbaijani-inhabited area. The settlement was occupied by Armenian armed forces on December 28, 1991, and came under the control of the Azerbaijani Army following local anti-terror measures conducted on September 19–20, 2023.