Great Return: Karabakh's population exceeds 25,000 by start of 2026

Within the framework of the 'Great Return' program, residents have returned to 29 settlements in Karabakh's liberated territories in 2025.

The State Committee of Azerbaijan for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons reports that this year, as part of the "Great Return" program, residents have returned to 29 settlements in the liberated territories.

According to the Committee, the process of returning to the territories liberated from occupation has been carried out according to plan.

The report also highlighted that the restoration process of the liberated territories of Karabakh took place under the personal supervision of President Ilham Aliyev.

Internally displaced persons have been returned to the territories of 7 cities - Jabrayil, Shusha, Khojaly, Lachin, Fuzuli, Kalbajar, and Aghdam; 19 villages - Khorovlu (Jabrayil district), Saryjaly, Kengerli, and Khydyrly (Aghdam district), Ballyja, Khanyurdu, Tezebina, Seyidbeyli, Badara, Shushakend, and Dashbulag (Khojaly district), Hasanriz, Sugovushan, Kalatag, and Vengli (Aghdara district), Beylik (Lachin district), Sos, Aghaly, and Mammadbeyli (Zangilan district); and 3 towns—Gyrmyzy Bazar and Hadrut (Khojavend district), and Karkijahan (Khankendi city).

In total, 25,346 people have returned to the liberated territories. Currently, over 65,000 residents live in the Karabakh and East Zangazur economic regions.

The families returning to the liberated territories of Karabakh had previously been living in temporary accommodations in various parts of Azerbaijan, primarily in hostels, sanatoriums, and administrative buildings.