Following the liberation of territories in the Garabagh region of Azerbaijan, authorities have discovered 32 mass graves. This significant finding was announced by Lieutenant-General Sharafat Hasanov, Deputy Chief of the State Security Service (SSS), during an international conference titled "Modern Approaches and Strengthening Cooperation in Solving the Problem of Missing Persons."
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, Hasanov reported that search and identification efforts have led to the exhumation of human remains belonging to 893 individuals. "The identities of 327 of these individuals have been confirmed through DNA and forensic medical examinations, and the remains of 226 people have been handed over to their families for burial," he stated.
The issue of missing persons remains a critical humanitarian challenge for Azerbaijan. Official data indicates that 3,683 individuals are still classified as missing. In response to the military aggression against Azerbaijan, authorities have collected and systematized biological samples from 11,542 donors. These DNA profiles are processed and archived by the Genetic Research Center of the SSS Military Medical Main Department.
General Hasanov noted that the total number of registered missing persons related to the First and Second Garabagh wars stands at 4,010. Of these, 4,004 went missing during the First Garabagh War, while 6 were lost during the Second Garabagh War. The statistics highlight the humanitarian toll of the conflict, with 3,222 military personnel and 782 civilians among the missing. The civilian casualties include 71 children, 288 women, and 319 elderly individuals.
