Great Return initiative brings new wave of residents to Khojaly PHOTO / UPDATED

A new group of former internally displaced persons (IDPs) has arrived in Khojaly town and Ballija village in Khojaly district, as part of the ongoing resettlement efforts in the region.

These individuals are returning to their homes as part of a broader initiative to repopulate territories liberated during the 2020 Second Karabakh War, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

The resettlement process, which has gained momentum in recent months, aims to restore life and infrastructure to areas previously affected by occupation.

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The ongoing “Great Return” initiative, aimed at repopulating the territories of Azerbaijan liberated following the 2020 Second Karabakh War, has taken another significant step forward as a new group of internally displaced persons (IDPs) has been resettled in Khojaly district.

This latest wave of returnees includes families who had been temporarily accommodated in hostels, sanatoriums, and administrative facilities across various regions of Azerbaijan, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Specifically, one family comprising five individuals has been relocated to Khojaly city, while eight families—29 individuals in total—have returned to Ballija village within the same district.

The returnees expressed deep gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva for their continued commitment to the reintegration and reconstruction process. They also paid tribute to the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, whose efforts were instrumental in the liberation of the district and the creation of conditions necessary for their return.

This resettlement is part of a broader national strategy to restore life to territories previously under occupation, reinstate public services, and reestablish socio-economic infrastructure.

Currently, more than 40,000 individuals reside in the Karabakh and East Zangezur regions. In addition to resettled former IDPs, this population includes specialists and professionals involved in the implementation of key state-led reconstruction and development projects. These individuals are engaged in various sectors including healthcare, education, culture, tourism, industry, and energy, supporting the revival of daily life and state institutions in the region.

The liberation of Khojaly marks a defining chapter in Azerbaijan’s contemporary history, emblematic of the nation's enduring resilience and unwavering pursuit of justice. In February 1992, Armenian forces, with the involvement of the 366th CIS regiment, carried out a brutal massacre in Khojaly, claiming the lives of 613 civilians—including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly individuals. This atrocity, officially recognized by Azerbaijan as an act of genocide, left an indelible wound on the national psyche and became a stark symbol of the human cost of conflict.

Since the city's liberation in 2023, Azerbaijan has intensified its efforts to both restore Khojaly and preserve the memory of those who perished. Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, a memorial complex is currently under construction to pay tribute to the victims and to enshrine the historical truth of the tragedy for future generations. Concurrently, the “Justice for Khojaly” campaign—launched in 2008—continues to gain international momentum, with a growing number of countries and US states formally recognizing the massacre as a crime against humanity.

By Vafa Guliyeva