President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva visited the village of Khanoba in the Khojavand district on March 18 to inspect the ongoing restoration and reconstruction efforts.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that Emin Huseynov, the Special Representative of the President in Aghdam, Fuzuli, and Khojavand districts, briefed the head of state and the First Lady on the completed and planned infrastructure projects in the village.
During the visit, President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva visited the home of Beybala Gasimov, a resident who recently relocated to the village. The President inquired about the living conditions and the family's transition back to their ancestral lands. Following the home visit, the head of state met with other returning residents and participated in the traditional lighting of the Novruz bonfire, marking the arrival of spring in the liberated territories.
Khanoba village, located 15 kilometers southwest of the district center, historically belonged to the Garabagh khans. Before the occupation, the village featured a secondary school, a club, a library, and a medical center. The village was liberated from occupation following the local anti-terrorist measures carried out by the Azerbaijan Armed Forces in September 2023. Currently, the village consists of 153 private houses, with extensive restoration work underway to prepare all residences for habitation by the end of the year.
The reconstruction of Khanoba is part of the "Great Return" program, a large-scale state initiative aimed at restoring the liberated territories of Azerbaijan and ensuring the sustainable resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs). Since October last year, 1,818 people (441 families) have returned to six settlements in the Khojavand district. The government has prioritized the restoration of essential utilities, including electricity, gas, and water supply, alongside modern telecommunications infrastructure to support the growing population in the region.
