Great Return: Aghdam's Kangarli village welcomes returnees with keys to modern homes PHOTO / UPDATED

Another group of Azerbaijani former internally displaced persons, who returned to their native village of Kangarli, Aghdam District, in the morning hours of May 20, have already been provided with keys to their brand-new apartments.

A total of 50 families—comprising 207 individuals—have been resettled in the revitalised village as part of the ongoing state program for the return of IDPs to liberated territories, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

The latest group includes 15 families (65 people) from Baku, 12 families (47 people) from Aghdam, 12 families (45 people) from Barda, 8 families (35 people) from Yevlakh, 2 families (9 people) from Goychay, and 1 family (6 people) from Zardab.

The returned residents were provided with keys to modern, fully equipped homes and access to improved infrastructure and public services—part of the broader reconstruction and reintegration efforts underway across the Karabakh region.

The resettlement process is being carried out in stages and in line with the "Great Return" program, aimed at restoring normal life in the liberated areas and ensuring the dignified and voluntary return of displaced Azerbaijani citizens to their ancestral lands.

09:21 

Another 50 formerly displaced Azerbaijani families comprising 207 people have returned to their native village of Kangarli in the Aghdam District.

The families resettled in the Kangarli village had previously lived temporarily in various regions of the country — mostly in dormitories, sanatoriums, and administrative buildings, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

In line with the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev, the Great Return of former internally displaced persons to the territories liberated from occupation continues.

The returning residents expressed their gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva for the comprehensive care provided by the state. They also conveyed their appreciation to the valiant Azerbaijani Army, the heroic soldiers and officers who liberated the country’s lands from occupation, and wished peace to the souls of the martyrs who gave their lives for this cause.

“My grandchildren will now see the land of Aghdam with their own eyes,” said Tavad Allahverdiyeva, one of the former internally displaced persons who returned to the village of Kangarli in the Aghdam district.

“After the occupation of our village, I had to move to Baku with my three children. Today, at the age of 75, I am returning to my native home — together with my children and grandchildren. This joy is beyond words,” she shared.

Allahverdiyeva also honoured the memory of the martyrs, wished good health to the veterans, and expressed deep gratitude to Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev.

“Aghdam and our village were very beautiful. That’s where the happiest days of our lives were,” said Sakina Hajiyeva, another returnee to Kangarli village.

She recalls with sorrow the day she had to flee her home:

“The Armenians entered the village at night. We fled in panic, leaving our native land in a very difficult state. We barely made it to Baku. Years later, when I heard the news about the liberation of our village, I couldn’t hold back tears of joy. I am immensely happy to return to our homeland. May this feeling of joy stay with us forever.”

The former displaced resident also paid tribute to the heroic sons of Azerbaijan who gave their lives for the independence, territorial integrity, and sovereignty of the country, and expressed gratitude to the state, the President of Azerbaijan, and everyone who contributed to the liberation of their native lands.

Currently, about 40,000 people live in Karabakh and East Zangezur. Alongside the former internally displaced persons, this population also includes those working on regional development projects, employees of local branches of various government agencies, and personnel operating within the revitalised sectors of healthcare, education, culture, tourism, industrial, and energy institutions.

Let's recall that on October 4, 2022, President Ilham Aliyev laid the foundation stone for Kangarli village, initiating its reconstruction.

By September 19, 2024, significant progress had been made, with 292 homes constructed and infrastructure development underway.

On May 10, 2025, President Aliyev presented keys to the first group of resettled families, marking the completion of the initial phase.

By Khagan Isayev