Baku:Azerbaijan has returned the remains of more than 2,000 Armenian servicemen to Armenia, as stated by Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, Fariz Rzayev, during the Fourth International Conference under the Baku Dialogue on Missing Persons.

According to Azeri-Press news agency, Fariz Rzayev highlighted that Azerbaijan has been conducting search operations since November 2020, facing significant security risks and challenges due to landmines. The Deputy Foreign Minister emphasized that the handover of the remains reflects Azerbaijan's commitment to a responsible humanitarian approach and dignified treatment of those who died in the conflict.

The Deputy Minister also noted that over 4,000 Azerbaijani citizens went missing during the First and Second Karabakh wars. Many families have been living with this uncertainty for years. Following the liberation of Azerbaijani territories, several burial sites were discovered, and efforts were made to identify and respectfully rebury the remains. Despite these efforts, the fate of the majority of missing persons remains unresolved.

Fariz Rzayev further explained that landmines and unexploded ordnance continue to pose significant dangers to ongoing fieldwork. He stressed the importance of international humanitarian law, which mandates that parties in armed conflicts must take all feasible measures to determine the fate of missing persons, including searching for the dead and treating remains with respect. The obligation to investigate and provide answers persists long after hostilities have concluded.