BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 2. Excavations and monitoring by the State Commission for Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Citizens of Azerbaijan this year in liberated territories revealed that, from the signing of the tripartite statement until the Azerbaijani Armed Forces' local anti-terrorist activities in September 2023 in Karabakh, the separatist regime systematically destroyed several mass graves recognized by the State Commission and the ICRC, Head of the State Security Service of Azerbaijan, chairman of the State Commission for Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Citizens Ali Naghiyev said, TurkicWorld reports.
He made the remark during a speech at an international conference on "Addressing the Issue of Missing Persons: Upholding Families’ Right to Know the Truth."
Naghiyev noted that the burial sites in Garadaghli village of Khojavand district, Dehraz village of Khojaly district, and Sirkhavand village of Aghdara district known to the State Commission can be cited as examples.
"It is known that these and other mass graves were purposefully destroyed to hide the traces of war crimes committed by Armenians.
These facts are a vivid example of disrespect for international law, as well as for the families of missing persons who have been waiting for years for their loved ones, and humanity as a whole," he added.
Baku is hosting an international conference on "Addressing the Issue of Missing Persons: Upholding Families’ Right to Know the Truth."
The event started with an address by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to the participants of the conference, which was read out by the Head of the State Security Service of Azerbaijan, Chairman of the State Commission for Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Citizens Ali Naghiyev.
Head of the Central Search Agency of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Florence Anselmo, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Fariz Rzayev, Deputy Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services of the Republic of Türkiye Zafer Tarikdaroglu and other officials also take part in the event.
The event is taking place today in Baku and will continue tomorrow in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan.