Azernews.Az

Qabil Ashirov

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Great Return initiative continues to restore life to Azerbaijan's liberated territories, with another group of former internally displaced persons (IDPs) returning to their ancestral homes in Jabrayil district.

AzerNEWS reports that 46 families comprising 223 people have been resettled in the village of Shukurbeyli as part of the latest phase of the nationwide repatriation program. The families had spent years living in temporary accommodation across different parts of Azerbaijan, primarily in dormitories, sanatoriums, and administrative buildings after being forced to flee their homes during the Armenian occupation.

The returnees expressed their gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva for the government's continued support in facilitating their return. They also paid tribute to the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, praising the soldiers and officers whose efforts made the liberation of their homeland possible, while honoring the memory of those who lost their lives during the conflict and wishing the country's veterans good health.

Former IDP Murvat Aliyev described the homecoming as an emotional milestone after years of displacement.

"Returning to our homeland is an incomparable joy. It is extremely difficult to put these emotions into words. The best years of our childhood were spent in displacement, yet we never lost hope. We always believed that one day we would return to our native land," he said.

Murvat Aliyev added that his greatest aspiration is to rebuild his life in his hometown and contribute to its future development, thanking President Ilham Aliyev for creating the conditions that made the return possible.

Another returning resident, Fazil Aliyev, echoed those sentiments, saying the opportunity to go back to the place where he was born and raised represents a unique moment in his life.

"We are experiencing a happiness that words simply cannot describe. We are returning to the land where we were born and where we spent our childhood and youth. Every corner of Azerbaijan is our homeland, but the joy of returning to the place where you were born is unlike anything else," he said.

Fazil Aliyev expressed his hope of playing an active role in rebuilding the village.

"I pray that God grants me enough years to create something there. Whatever I am capable of doing, I want to plant trees, help make the land greener, and contribute to any work being carried out. That is my greatest wish," he noted.

He also thanked the Azerbaijani government for standing by displaced families throughout the years of exile and acknowledged the support they received from communities across the country. Concluding his remarks, he prayed for God's mercy upon the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and wished the nation's veterans continued health and strength.

The latest resettlement marks another step forward in Azerbaijan's post-conflict reconstruction efforts, as the government continues to restore infrastructure, rebuild communities, and facilitate the voluntary return of former displaced residents to the territories liberated from occupation.