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An international conference was held within the framework of cooperation between the State Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons and the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP).
An international conference was held within the framework of cooperation between the State Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons and the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP).
On 30 June, a delegation of the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), led by Director-General Ms. Kathryne Bomberger, visited Azerbaijan to participate in the international conference organized within the framework of cooperation between the State Commission and ICMP. The delegation visited the Alley of Honor, where they paid tribute to the memory of the National Leader of Azerbaijan and laid flowers at the grave of the prominent ophthalmologist and academician Zarifa Aliyeva. Following a visit to the Alley of Martyrs, the delegation was received by the Chairman of the State Commission, Chief of the State Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Colonel General Ali Naghiyev.
Chairman of the State Commission Ali Naghiyev provided detailed information on the urgent measures being implemented in accordance with the instructions of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, regarding the search for Azerbaijan’s missing citizens. He also outlined the ongoing efforts to locate burial sites of persons who went missing as a result of the former Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, conduct exhumations, and identify recovered human remains. Chairman Ali Naghiyev expressed his appreciation for the continued support provided by ICMP to the work of the State Commission.
Ms. Kathryne Bomberger thanked the Chairman for the meeting and noted that Azerbaijan has established a highly effective system for the collection and exchange of information related to missing persons.
It should be noted that, within the framework of cooperation between the State Commission and ICMP, the Online Inquiry Center (OIC) has been launched to support the electronic management of information related to missing persons. Through this secure and fully digital platform, citizens can submit new information and inquiries regarding missing persons, upload photographs and documents, and share the geographical coordinates of suspected burial sites. The unified electronic database enables prompt information exchange among relevant state institutions, making search operations, excavations, and identification procedures more efficient. Any citizen who possesses information concerning the fate of a missing person can access the system through the official website of the State Commission www.scmp.gov.az.
During the meeting, the parties also exchanged views on the capabilities of the system and its further development.
Later, the international conference titled “Strengthening Cooperation and Advancing Modern Approaches to Address the Issue of Missing Persons” commenced with the participation of the ICMP delegation led by Ms. Kathryne Bomberger, senior government officials, members of parliament, representatives of the diplomatic corps, non-governmental organizations, and the media.
Opening the conference, Lieutenant General Sharafat Hasanov, Deputy Chief of the State Security Service, welcomed the participants and emphasized that resolving the issue of missing persons remains one of Azerbaijan’s highest humanitarian priorities. He noted that identifying burial sites of missing citizens in the territories liberated from occupation, as well as carrying out the necessary excavation and exhumation activities, are among the key tasks assigned to the State Commission by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev.
Secretary of the State Commission Gazanfar Ahmadov stated that, as of 30 June 2026, a total of 4,010 Azerbaijani citizens had been officially registered as missing as a result of Armenia’s military aggression. He further noted that DNA analysis has already enabled the identification of 327 individuals among the hundreds of human remains recovered during excavations in the liberated territories.
Mr. Ahmadov also announced that, during the next phase of operations, the State Commission plans to deploy next-generation unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) systems to rapidly map extensive areas and detect previously unknown burial sites.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Elnur Mammadov highlighted Azerbaijan’s active diplomatic efforts on the issue of missing persons within the framework of the United Nations and the Baku Dialogue. Members of Parliament Zahid Oruj and Rizvan Nabiyev addressed the legal aspects of the issue, while Member of Parliament Arzu Naghiyev proposed strengthening the institutional status of the State Commission’s Working Group, enhancing its technical capacity, and introducing tax and customs exemptions for specialized equipment imported to support search operations.
ICMP Director-General Ms. Kathryne Bomberger highly praised the productive partnership with Azerbaijan and emphasized that technological cooperation would continue. Major General Rufat Aliyev, Chief of the Military Medical Main Department of the State Security Service, noted that the Genetic Research Center Laboratory operates in accordance with the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 international standard. He also revealed that the Ukrainian authorities had requested Azerbaijan’s humanitarian assistance in the identification of persons missing as a result of the ongoing war. Adalat Hasanov, representing the Ministry of Health, spoke about forensic medical examination procedures, while Farhad Aliyev, Director of an institute of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, highlighted the importance of archaeological and anthropological methods in excavation activities. Konul Behbudova, Chairperson of the “Karabakh Missing Families” Public Union, stressed that the State’s ongoing efforts to clarify the fate of missing persons provide hope and moral support to affected families and called on the international community to support Azerbaijan’s humanitarian efforts.
At the conclusion of the conference, the participants emphasized that expanding the use of innovative technologies, strengthening scientific cooperation, and enhancing international partnership are essential for achieving lasting peace, justice, and the restoration of humanitarian law in the region.
