UN records no violence against Khankendi residents after ceasefire Azerbaijani presidential aide says

Azerbaijani presidential aide, head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev has said that the UN mission has recorded no violence against residents in Khankendi.

The government official made the remarks on his X social media account, Caliber.Az reports.

"Independent mission of UN Country Residence Office to Karabakh Region and Khankandi city of Azerbaijan

- the mission visited the city of Khankendi, where the team met with the local population and interlocutors and saw first-hand the situation regarding health and education facilities.  In parts of the city that the team visited, they saw no damage to civilian public infrastructure, including hospitals, schools and housing, or to cultural and religious structures.  The mission saw that the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan was preparing for the resumption of health services and some utilities in the city.

- The mission did not come across any reports – neither from the local population interviewed nor from the interlocutors - of incidences of violence against civilians following the latest ceasefire.

- The mission did not observe any destruction of agricultural infrastructure or dead animals from the road.

- While driving through Aghdam, which is part of the territories regained in 2020, the mission observed destruction and mine action needs, as well as the reconstruction efforts that are being made by the Government," Hajiyev wrote.

On October 1, the United Nations mission arrived in Azerbaijan's Garabagh region travelling through Aghdam in the direction of Askeran-Khankendi.

The purpose of the mission was to familiarise themselves with the situation on the ground and determine the humanitarian needs of the residents.

The mission includes representatives of various UN agencies. The last time a UN mission visited Garabagh was about 30 years ago.

Independent mission of UN Country Residence Office to Karabakh Region and Khankandi city of Azerbaijan

- the mission visited the city of Khankendi, where the team met with the local population and interlocutors and saw first-hand the situation regarding health and education… pic.twitter.com/T8SOLg97YQ

— Hikmet Hajiyev (@HikmetHajiyev) October 2, 2023