BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 30. The identification of the remains of those who went missing during the First and Second Karabakh Wars is ongoing, and the remains of those identified are being handed over to their relatives, the Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan, Kamran Aliyev, said in a joint interview with Trend News Agency and REAL TV.
“To date, if I am not mistaken, the remains of more than 900 missing persons have been identified. The Prosecutor General’s Office has collected DNA samples from all close relatives of the missing. As new remains are discovered, they are being identified in the relevant laboratories,” the Prosecutor General said.
According to Kamran Aliyev, a total of 4,010 Azerbaijani citizens went missing during the First and Second Karabakh Wars. Of these, 4,004 went missing during the First Karabakh War, and six during the Second Karabakh War.
“The identities of 328 people have been established, and analysis of the remaining remains is ongoing. The remains of just over 270 people have already been handed over to their relatives and buried,” he noted.
The Prosecutor General emphasized that the work being carried out at mass graves discovered in the liberated territories is significant both historically and procedurally. According to him, the State Commission on Missing Persons and the Prosecutor’s Office are collaborating on this matter.
“Despite the passage of time, relatives remain concerned about the fate of the missing persons. This is natural. We are trying to ensure that the relatives of these people find at least some consolation,” said Kamran Aliyev.
He added that cooperation with international organizations is also underway in this area. According to the Prosecutor General, the State Commission on Missing Persons primarily handles organizational matters, while the Investigative Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office handles the procedural aspects of the cases.
“In this regard, we are cooperating with international organizations, in particular with the United Nations Committee on Missing Persons. The State Commission on Missing Persons deals primarily with organizational matters. The Prosecutor’s Office, specifically the Investigative Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office, handles the procedural aspects of the case,” the Prosecutor General added.
