Azernews.Az

Qabil Ashirov

Read more

The resettlement of Azerbaijanis to territories liberated from occupation is continuing as part of the Great Return program, in line with the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev.

AzerNEWS reports that at the latest stage of the program, 11 families comprising 39 people have been relocated to the village of Kichik Galaderesi in Shusha, while 18 families, or 82 people, have returned to the village of Guzeykhirman in Khojavand district and another 21 families, totaling 103 people, have moved to Guneykhirman.

The families returning to their ancestral homes had previously been temporarily accommodated in different parts of Azerbaijan, mainly in dormitories, sanatoriums and administrative buildings.

For many of the returning residents, the resettlement marks the fulfillment of a dream they had waited decades to realize. They are now beginning new lives in their ancestral villages, contributing to the revival of communities that had remained empty for years.

Among those returning to Kichik Galaderesi is Orkhan Gasimov, for whom the move carries profound personal and emotional significance.

“We are moving to Galaderesi village in Shusha district. We are returning to the land where our father fought. We are going there to revive our village and build a new life there,” Gasimov said.

He said he was particularly happy to witness the revival of his native village, adding that rural life is a dream for many people who have spent years in cities. For him, however, Galaderesi represents much more: it is his ancestral land, his homeland and the place he had long hoped to return to.

“That is our ancestral land, our homeland. Whatever work there is to be done, we will do it and live there. The beauty of nature and the air there make a person feel healthier and spiritually younger. They also give you a desire to live,” the young Shusha resident said.

Gasimov said his feelings of admiration for Galaderesi's natural beauty were accompanied by a deep sense of pride in returning to his homeland. He also viewed the return as a tribute to those who lost their lives in the struggle to liberate the territories.

“Indeed, God has given us a great blessing. If we are returning there at the cost of so much bloodshed, we are going with a sense of pride and joy. God willing, everything will be better,” he said.

The same sense of joy and pride is being experienced by families returning to Khojavand's Guzeykhirman village.

Vagif Gozalov, one of the residents returning to the village, described the day as one of the happiest and most eagerly awaited moments of his life.

“Today is truly one of the happiest days we have been waiting for with great hope. We are returning to our homeland, to Khojavand and to Guzeykhirman village,” Gozalov said.

He praised the efforts undertaken by the Azerbaijani state to make the return possible and expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, while wishing good health to wounded veterans and other servicemen.

Gozalov also expressed his hope that other Azerbaijanis displaced from their ancestral homes would soon have the opportunity to return.

“We are returning with great joy. What could be more beautiful or happier than these days? I wish everyone success and hope that our happy days will continue on those lands,” he said.

For Gozalov, the return of displaced families is closely connected with the restoration of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. He also expressed optimism about the country's future.

“The path we are following for the sake of a united Azerbaijan shows that the course pursued by our Supreme Commander-in-Chief is the right one. May God rest the soul of our National Leader. Our President is successfully continuing his policy. All our lands are free,” the former internally displaced person said.

He expressed the hope that people would no longer have to endure the suffering caused by displacement and would instead live peacefully and prosperously in their ancestral homes.

The latest resettlements underscore the broader transformation taking place across Azerbaijan's liberated territories, where reconstruction, infrastructure development and the return of former internally displaced persons are gradually turning long-awaited homecomings into a new reality.

For the families arriving in Shusha and Khojavand, the Great Return is not simply a change of residence. It represents the restoration of family roots, the revival of local communities and the beginning of a new chapter of life in the places they have long regarded as home.