Azerbaijani leader: Under any circumstances, we will protect our national dignity HEARTFELT CONVERSATION WITH RESIDENTS OF GUZEYKHIRMAN VILLAGE / PHOTO / UPDATED

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.

Afterward, the head of state visited the home of village resident Isa Gozalov and had a conversation with him.

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Then, President Ilham Aliyev met and had a conversation with residents who returned to both villages.

President Ilham Aliyev said:

- Every time former internally displaced persons return to their ancestral lands, it is a celebration for all of us—for the entire Azerbaijani people. Today, there is hardly a month when groups of former internally displaced persons do not return to their native homes. Sometimes returns take place every week, every month, even every day. From now on, this process will gather even greater momentum. Because, as you know, after the Second Garabagh War, in the first stage, we had to clear those lands of mines, and these works are still ongoing. The Armenian nationalists and occupiers have turned all our lands into ruins; there was not a single intact building. We had to create the necessary conditions—electricity, water, gas, and roads. After that came the construction and restoration of houses.

Since the main issues related to roads, transport, bridges, gas, and electricity are being resolved, the return of former internally displaced persons will also proceed at a faster pace. Of course, these areas, including a large part of Khojavend district and these villages, were still under occupation after the Second Garabagh War. But I know you knew, and we knew too, that it would not remain like this, and every inch of land would return to Azerbaijan. We would return it, and we did.

For the past five or six years, our people have been living with a sense of pride, and rightly so. We have shown the whole world that we are a great people, loyal to our ancestral traditions. Despite the fact that our lands were under occupation for many years and that a large part of our people lived as refugees and displaced persons, our will was not broken. We believed—and not only believed, but knew—that the day would come when we would return to these lands as their owners. To achieve this, of course, the entire nation had to unite, and it did. The Second Garabagh War clearly demonstrated this to the whole world.

Of course, this unity strengthened our country over the years, and step by step, every day, we moved toward this glorious Victory. Everyone, in their own way, contributed—some were engaged in economic activities, some in building the Army, and some were raising their children in a patriotic spirit. Everyone, in their own way, was bringing this historic day closer. Before the souls of our martyrs, we must once again swear to ourselves, to our people, and to our state that, under any circumstances, we will protect our national dignity. From now on, no one will ever harm our people. Our state is strong, our Army is strong, and our will is firm. The Second Garabagh War and, three years later, the anti-terror operation, I repeat once again, showed the whole world what our people are capable of.

Over the past 80 years, no state and no people have achieved a victory like the one won by the Azerbaijani state and its people—and in just 44 days. Today, we all follow global events. Unfortunately, conflicts and wars are flaring up in various parts of the world. They do not stop; they continue. When looking at the course of these wars, everything is clear to see, and everything becomes clearer by comparison. When we compare, we see once again that despite such difficult terrain, despite the enemy's seven lines of defense, and despite the fact that major powers stood behind Armenia and that, during those 44 days, we were sent signals full of pressure, threats, and intimidation, we achieved what we wanted. Because justice was on our side, we possessed a strong will, and the Azerbaijani people were united. Look, during those 44 days, not a single person left the battlefield. Yet the Armenians themselves admit—even at the highest level—that they had 11,000 to 12,000 deserters. This is the greatness of our nation. Our youth put their lives on the line to break through those defense lines. They did not think about whether they would survive. I say once again: may Allah rest the souls of all our martyrs. What drove them forward was their national spirit and dignity. The overwhelming majority of those who liberated Garabagh from the occupiers had never even seen these lands. When they opened their eyes to the world, these lands were already under occupation. However, the pain of Garabagh weighed so heavily on our society and our people, this wound hurt us so deeply, that every patriotic person lived with a single purpose—to contribute to our Victory.

Today, more than 90,000 people live, work, and study in the liberated territories, and their number increases every month and will continue to grow. For you, too, the state has built and restored beautiful homes. Every amenity is available here. The nature is beautiful, the air is clean, the water is abundant, and the soil is fertile. I simply wish you good health so that you may live happily. May there be no more grief or hardship from now on, and may you raise your children well, in a spirit of patriotism. Let them grow up with love in their hearts for the Azerbaijani people and the state. When necessary—though I believe it will no longer be necessary—everyone must know that the "Iron Fist" is in its place and will remain in its place.

Let's take a photo together.

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Afterwards, commemorative photos were taken.