Displaced Azerbaijanis of Shusha city happy to be home at last

By Burcu Calik Gocumlu

SHUSHA, Azerbaijan (AA) - An Azerbaijani mother felt the joy of returning with her family to the historic city of Shusha, which she had to leave as a child after its occupation by Armenian forces.

Ilhame Ibrahimova, now 30, has returned to her original hometown, one of the symbols of the Karabakh region which Azerbaijan liberated last year from nearly three decades of Armenian occupation.

Settling back in the city with her children and husband four months ago, Ibrahimova expressed her joy in an interview with Anadolu Agency.

"I had to leave here with my family when I was a child. We were very emotional and happy when we returned. We came to Shusha in tears. It's really hard to express my feelings. It's very nice being here," she said.

"I hope my children will go to school in Shusha and grow up here. I want my children to have the life we could not."

Shusha, which was liberated from 28-years of Armenian occupation last November, is getting ready to rise from its ashes. In the city, houses and public buildings came to the point of collapse, while historical and cultural structures of hundreds of years were seriously damaged by the withdrawing Armenians.

After ending the occupation, Azerbaijani authorities first fixed its electricity and water problems.

As construction and roadwork continue in the city, the local governor's building is being repaired and damaged historical buildings are under restoration.

- Karabakh conflict

In 1991, the Armenian military illegally occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory, and seven adjacent regions.

When new clashes erupted on Sept. 27, 2020, the Armenian army launched attacks on civilians and Azerbaijani forces and violated several humanitarian cease-fire agreements.

During a six-week conflict, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and nearly 300 settlements and villages, while at least 2,802 of its soldiers were martyred.

On Nov. 10, 2020, the two countries signed a Russian-brokered agreement to end the fighting and work toward a comprehensive resolution.

On Jan. 11, the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia signed a pact to develop economic ties and infrastructure to benefit the entire region. It included the establishment of a trilateral working group on Karabakh.

The cease-fire is seen as a victory for Azerbaijan and a defeat for Armenia, whose armed forces withdrew in line with the agreement.

Prior to this victory, about 20% of Azerbaijan's territory had been under illegal occupation for nearly three decades.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan