87 Azerbaijani families received keys to apartments in Karabakh.
Eight families of displaced persons moved to the village of Kyarkidzhakhan, in the villages of the Khojaly district - 34 families, in the villages of the Agdere district - 45 families.
As reported by "Caucasian Knot", in December 2025, the first group of Azerbaijani displaced persons - 30 families - returned to the village of Kyarkidzhakhan (Armenian name - Kirkidjan - note from "Caucasian Knot"), the former capital of Nagorno-Karabakh. Kyarkidzhakhan is considered a microdistrict of Khankendi (Armenian name - Stepanakert), said Jasur Sumerinli, head of the Azerbaijani Caspian Military Research Center, to "Caucasian Knot" in September 2023. "From here, the city is visible like the palm of your hand," he explained.
Azerbaijanis from the settlements of Karabakh were forced to leave their homes after the start of the first Karabakh war. The return of displaced persons began after Azerbaijan took control of these territories. On November 10, 2023, Azerbaijani authorities announced plans to resettle 140,000 people in the territories of Karabakh by 2026.
Families that previously lived temporarily in various regions of the republic, mainly in dormitories, sanatoriums, and administrative buildings, are being resettled to the village of Kyarkidzhakhan in the city of Khankendi (Armenian name Stepanakert - note from "Caucasian Knot"), as well as to the villages of Badara, Khanyurdu, Khanabad, Ballydja, and Tezebina in the Khojaly district and the villages of Kolatag, Gasanriz, Ashagy Oratag, and Chapar in the Agdere district, writes Report.
This time, 8 families - 36 people - moved to the village of Kyarkidzhakhan in the city of Khankendi, 5 families (13 people) to the village of Badara in the Khojaly district, 4 families (10 people) to Khanyurdu, 8 families (31 people) to Khanabad, 3 families (8 people) to Ballydja, 14 families (71 people) to Tezebina, 12 families (36 people) to Kolatag in the Agdere district, 6 families (30 people) to Gasanriz, 12 families (49 people) to Ashagy Oratag, and 15 families (51 people) to Chapar.
Azerbaijanis were forced to leave their homes in Karabakh after the start of the first Karabakh war. The return of Azerbaijani displaced persons began after Azerbaijan took control of these territories. By March 11, 2026, 7,541 families (30,261 people) had returned to 41 settlements in the former conflict zone of Karabakh.
The resettlement in Karabakh lags behind the declared pace, noted analyst Toghrul Juvarly. Currently, about 35,000 people have returned to 45 settlements. Considering builders, seconded workers from other sectors, and law enforcement officers, about 80-85 thousand people already live in the specified territories. However, the state, as part of the first phase of the "Great Return" program, has set a goal of returning about 120,000 people by the end of 2026, he reminded.
"This goal, in terms of returning displaced persons, will obviously not be achieved. By the end of the year, even with the acceleration of the return pace, about 30,000 more people will return to the region," he told a correspondent of "Caucasian Knot".
It should be noted that on May 16, two families resettled to the village of Ashagy Oratag, and earlier, on April 14, nine families, and before that, the resettlement phase took place in February. All displaced persons were instructed on mine safety issues and received relevant informational brochures.
Residents of Azerbaijan who returned to Karabakh told "Caucasian Knot" that they are settling in and finding work. Despite ongoing problems with employment and infrastructure, displaced persons note an improvement in living conditions. Previously, they complained about difficulties in returning to Karabakh. In particular, they noted that there are not enough jobs in Fizuli. People are looking for opportunities to return to their native places, but issues of property have not yet been resolved in the territories that came under Azerbaijan's control, the displaced persons noted.
On September 19-20, 2023, Azerbaijan conducted large-scale military operations and took control of the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, after which a mass exodus of the Armenian population began. By October 7, 2023, 100,632 displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh had arrived in Armenia, and by September 2024, only 14 Armenians remained in the region. "Caucasian Knot" has prepared a report "The Beginning and End of the Unrecognized Republic of Artsakh".
They also thanked the valiant Azerbaijani army, the heroic servicemen and officers who liberated our lands from occupation, and wished peace for the souls of the martyrs who gave their lives on this path.