Baku: Azerbaijan has been embroiled in an armed conflict since 1988 due to Armenia’s territorial claims and occupation, leading to a widespread humanitarian disaster, as stated by Major General Sherafet Hasanov, Deputy Head of the State Security Service (SSS). This announcement was made during the presentation of the evaluation report on the search for missing persons in Azerbaijan by the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP). The event was organized by the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Persons.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Major General Hasanov reported that the military conflict resulted in the death or disappearance of more than 19,000 Azerbaijani citizens and over 65,000 individuals sustaining injuries. He highlighted that more than 900 settlements had been completely destroyed, with infrastructure and ecological damage amounting to billions of dollars. Additionally, tens of thousands of hectares of land have been contaminated with mines and unexploded ordnance.

During the conflict, Armenia’s armed forces were accused of committing ethnic cleansing and genocide, with the Azerbaijani civilian population being mass-murdered. Captured individuals were reportedly held in inhumane conditions, subjected to torture and deprivation, violating humanitarian principles. These circumstances have left many Azerbaijani citizens missing, with their fate still uncertain.

The issue of war victims, particularly those taken as prisoners or hostages and subsequently missing, has been a significant concern in Azerbaijan. It has consistently been a focal point for the national leader, Heydar Aliyev, and the current President, Ilham Aliyev, reflecting the nation’s sensitivity towards the matter.