New York:Azerbaijan remains steadfast in its commitment to uncover the fate of its citizens whose whereabouts are unknown, as stated by Shahriyar Hajiyev, First Secretary of the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan to the United Nations. Hajiyev delivered this statement during an interactive dialogue at the Third Committee of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, more than 4,000 individuals, including 288 women, 71 children, and 319 older persons, are still registered as missing in connection with the former conflict. Hajiyev highlighted intensified search efforts following the liberation of previously occupied territories. So far, remains of 913 individuals have been discovered, with 328 identified through DNA testing and forensic methods. Among these, 273 have been returned to their families to allow for burial rites.
Additionally, 32 mass graves containing the remains of 253 individuals have been unearthed since the conflict ended, providing evidence of the willful killing of civilians and other protected persons under international humanitarian law. Hajiyev emphasized the importance of sharing information on burial sites and collecting witness statements as part of the measures needed to fulfill the families’ right to know the fate of missing loved ones.
Azerbaijan has been proactive internationally, regularly initiating resolutions on missing persons in the General Assembly. The annual international conference, ‘Baku Dialogue on Missing Persons,’ seeks to address these concerns through international cooperation, with the fourth conference held from October 7 to 10, 2026. The theme was ‘Strengthening Trust and Developing Effective Mechanisms for Addressing the Issue of Missing Persons.’
Hajiyev also called for the United Nations and other relevant international organizations to play a more active role within their mandates in conducting searches, facilitating information exchange, and increasing support for affected families.