Khojaly's Seyidbayli village welcomes back residents with key handover ceremony PHOTO

The first group of displaced residents returning to Seyidbayli village in Azerbaijan’s Khojaly district were handed the keys to their new apartments today, marking a major milestone in the ongoing resettlement efforts.

The key handover ceremony was attended by officials from the Special Representative of the President of Azerbaijan in Khankendi, as well as representatives from the Aghdara and Khojaly districts, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Staff from the local Restoration, Construction and Management Service and the State Committee for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons also participated in the event.

In addition to receiving their new homes, residents were briefed by ANAMA personnel on mine safety measures, ensuring awareness of precautions as they return to the area.

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Azerbaijan has begun the resettlement of families to the village of Seyidbayli in the country’s Khojaly district, as part of  the country's "Great return" program.

On September 13, the first group of returnees, comprising nine families, or 31 individuals, relocated to the village, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

These families had been displaced for decades and had been living in temporary accommodations across Azerbaijan, including hostels, sanatoriums, and administrative buildings.

Azerbaijan's Great Return program, launched in 2022, aims to resettle approximately 140,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) by 2026 in territories liberated during the 2020 Karabakh war.

The initiative encompasses the reconstruction of 100 settlements, including the development of housing, schools, hospitals, and utility networks, with over $4.6 billion allocated between 2020 and 2023 and projections of $17.6 billion by 2030.

The second phase of the Great Return, scheduled for 2026 -2040, aims to achieve the comprehensive restoration and reintegration of all liberated territories.

By Sabina Mammadli