Speaking at a plenary session during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Azerbaijan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Tofig Musayev, delivered a powerful address highlighting the lingering humanitarian and security challenges in the aftermath of the conflict in the South Caucasus — particularly the discovery of mass graves and the persistent threat posed by landmines.
Musayev announced that the remains of 179 individuals have so far been recovered from 25 mass graves in the territories recently liberated by Azerbaijan, Caliber.Az reports, citing domestic media.
These remains have been identified and returned to their families.
“These graves are not just traces of the past,” he said. “They are irrefutable evidence of the atrocities committed. As long as impunity continues, neither justice nor lasting peace is possible.”
The ambassador also addressed the long-standing issue of Azerbaijani refugees expelled from Armenia during the late 1980s, recalling the plight of some 300,000 Azerbaijanis who fled to Azerbaijan. “These people were either killed or maimed because of their ethnicity,” he stated. “This impunity paved the way for more widespread atrocities, which have continued from the 1990s to the present day.”
Musayev underscored the grave consequences of these events, noting that tens of thousands of Azerbaijani civilians were killed and subjected to large-scale ethnic cleansing, while Azerbaijan’s cultural and historical heritage was systematically destroyed. Despite the formal end of the conflict, he said, the safe return of displaced persons remains elusive.
“The main obstacle is the contamination of liberated territories with landmines and unexploded ordnance. Even cemeteries and areas surrounding cultural monuments have been mined,” he said.
The ambassador emphasised that the mine problem is not only a humanitarian crisis but also a legal and political issue. He called for increased international support to address the threat and hold the responsible parties accountable.
Musayev also pointed to the unresolved fate of nearly 4,000 Azerbaijanis who remain missing, stressing the importance of international engagement in clarifying their status and securing justice for the victims.
By Tamilla Hasanova
Source: caliber.az
scorpion.az