Over 4,000 Azerbaijanis went missing during the war — Ilham Aliyev

Over 4,000 Azerbaijanis went missing during the war — Ilham Aliyev

More than 4,000 Azerbaijanis, including women and children, went missing as a result of the war launched by Armenia against Azerbaijan over the past three decades, President Ilham Aliyev said in his address to the international conference “Uniting efforts and expanding cooperation to resolve the issue of missing persons” held in Baku.

Aliyev noted that since 1999, the State Commission has identified 887 individuals and ensured their burial.

According to him, research has documented the disappearance of about 57,000 people during different periods.

Aliyev stressed that these facts represent a grave violation of international humanitarian law.

“The brutal killing of people and the concealment of crime traces constitute a serious breach of international law,” the president said.

He added that 29 mass graves have been discovered in the territories liberated from occupation. Examinations confirmed that the remains found belonged to Azerbaijanis who had been subjected to torture.

The president also underlined that the joint declaration and peace agreement signed between Azerbaijan and Armenia will contribute to lasting peace and stability in the region and help clarify the fate of missing persons.

Aliyev called on the international community, particularly the United Nations, to step up efforts in this area, noting that Azerbaijan is hosting such an international event for the third time.

“I am confident that discussions within this conference will give fresh impetus to resolving the issue of missing persons at the international level,” Aliyev said in his message.