The number of Azerbaijani families returning to Hasanriz has reached 255.

Ten Azerbaijani families who fled the village during the Karabakh conflict returned to Hasanriz today. The total number of IDPs returned to the village has reached 989.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on March 3, the first group of former IDPs returned to the village of Hasanriz in the Aghdere region (the Armenian name for Aghdere is Martakert). By November 20, 856 people from 227 families had returned to Hasanriz. Authorities stated that the village is fully supplied with water, gas, electricity, and internet.

Today, another group of 10 families (54 people) was sent to the village of Hasanriz in the Aghdere region, APA reports.

Previously, these families temporarily lived in various regions of Azerbaijan, mainly in dormitories, sanatoriums, and administrative buildings, the agency writes.

With today's group, the total number of families returning to Hasanriz reached 255 (989 people), Report informs.

I left the village of Hasanriz when I was seven years old.

Khabil Avazov was one of those who left the village of Hasanriz during the armed conflict. "I left the village of Hasanriz when I was seven years old. Now I'm returning to my homeland. Today is the happiest day for us. I wish everyone who was forced to leave their homelands at that time to return home," the agency quoted him as saying.

Authorities warn displaced persons of mine danger

In November, the Committee for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons organized an educational event for families resettled in villages in Karabakh, including Hasanriz.

"The event included a video screening on issues of social protection for internally displaced persons, as well as mine danger," the agency reported on November 7.

As a reminder, residents of Azerbaijan regularly suffer from mine and other munition explosions in the former Karabakh conflict zone. On December 3, local resident Nazim Panakhaliyev stepped on a mine while grazing his cattle in the village of Shikharkh in the Agdere district. Military analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" previously noted that demining the territories following the fighting in Karabakh could drag on for years.

In October 2022, the President of Azerbaijan stated that more than a million mines had been planted in the Karabakh conflict zone, and that demining would take 30 years. He estimated the cost at $25 billion. In May 2024, the European Union, which had allocated €10 million to Azerbaijan for mine clearance since 2020, agreed to increase its financial assistance for mine clearance to €14 million.

By August 2024, 2,036 families (7,901 people) of internally displaced persons (IDPs) had returned to the territories of Karabakh that had come under Baku's control.

Azerbaijani IDPs complained about the difficulties of returning to Karabakh. In particular, they noted a shortage of jobs in Fuzuli. People are seeking opportunities to return to their homelands, but in the territories under Azerbaijani control, property issues have not yet been resolved, IDPs noted.

Azerbaijani analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" pointed out that simply providing housing for IDPs returning to their cities is not enough. The authorities must create jobs and build infrastructure, they emphasized.