Azerbaijan's president meets residents of Khojavand’s restored Guzeykhirman village PHOTO

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev visited the villages of Guzeykhirman and Guneykhirman in the Khojavand district on July 11, where he reviewed restoration work, inspected infrastructure projects, and met residents who recently returned to the two settlements.

During the visit, Emin Huseynov, the Azerbaijani president's special representative in the Aghdam, Fuzuli, and Khojavand districts, briefed President Aliyev on completed social infrastructure projects in both villages, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Guneykhirman village, which was occupied by Armenian armed forces in 1992 and liberated during Azerbaijan’s 2023 anti-terror measures, has 549 individual houses. Of these, 170 are beyond repair, while 379 can be restored. Fifty houses are ready for occupancy, while restoration works are continuing in 147 houses. Preparatory works are underway for the restoration of another 182 houses.

Before the occupation, residents were mainly engaged in livestock breeding, viticulture, and farming. The village had two schools, a kindergarten, a hospital, a cultural centre, a club, a library, a sports complex, a bakery, and a communications office.

A few days ago, 18 families comprising 72 people returned to Guneykhirman. Infrastructure projects completed in the village include the installation of a new gas pipeline, repairs to the existing gas line, pumping equipment for sub-artesian wells, reconstruction of the internal water supply network, and the laying of a fibre-optic cable. Construction of a pumping station is ongoing.

Guzeykhirman village, which was also occupied in 1992 and liberated during the 2023 anti-terror measures, has 447 individual houses. Sixty-five are beyond repair, while 382 can be restored. Restoration is underway on 244 houses, including 100 already ready for occupancy, with work on the remaining 144 expected to be completed in the coming months. Preparatory work is also underway to restore another 138 houses.

Before the occupation, residents were engaged in viticulture, grain cultivation, and livestock breeding. The village had a secondary school, kindergartens, a club, and a library. 

A few days ago, 21 families comprising 87 people returned to Guzeykhirman in the initial stage of resettlement.

The village has undergone a range of infrastructure improvements, including the installation of new gas lines, restoration of the existing gas network, reconstruction of the water supply system and pumping station, restoration of transformer substations, overhead power lines and the internal electricity distribution network, and the laying of a fibre-optic cable. The 460-seat secondary school and a 40-seat nursery-kindergarten have also been renovated, while public catering facilities have been put into operation.

Before the 1992 occupation, residents of Guneykhirman were mainly engaged in livestock breeding, viticulture and farming, while Guzeykhirman's residents worked in viticulture, grain cultivation and livestock breeding.

Following the meetings with residents, President Aliyev visited the home of Guzeykhirman resident Nizamaddin Aliyev.