Azerbaijan brings back group of women and children from Syria PHOTO

Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) of Azerbaijan Sabina Aliyeva has met with a group of women and children who were returned from Syria to their homeland with the assistance of the Azerbaijani state.

The work on the return of our compatriots is carried out in cooperation with international structures, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the UN International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the Ombudsman's press service told Caliber.Az.

During the meetings, the issue of rehabilitation and reintegration of the returnees, protection of their rights was discussed.

In total, the Ombudsman met with 70 citizens who were returned from Syria to Azerbaijan, among them 16 women and 54 children.

To recap, on December 10, 2024, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing concern over the ongoing developments in Syria. The statement highlighted Azerbaijan's commitment to supporting Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, emphasizing the necessity of restoring peace and stability in the country after years of civil conflict.

Azerbaijan reaffirmed its support for Syria's unity and stressed that resolving the country’s challenges should be driven by the will of the Syrian people through internal political dialogue. In line with this, Azerbaijan continues to consult with Türkiye, a close partner, to address the situation in Syria and extend assistance to the Syrian people.

The statement also noted Azerbaijan's efforts to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Syria, working alongside Türkiye and other like-minded nations to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian population.

Despite the lack of an Azerbaijani embassy in Syria, Azerbaijan has been actively working to identify the whereabouts of its citizens in the country. Since 2020, Azerbaijan has facilitated the repatriation of its nationals from Syria via Türkiye, and this process is ongoing.

Looking ahead, Azerbaijan expressed hope that once stability is restored in Syria, bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Syria will be re-established, with the potential for enhanced cooperation based on mutual friendship and partnership.

By Khagan Isayev