BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 2. More than 11,200 biological samples have been collected to ascertain the fate of missing persons, head of the Main Military Medical Department of the State Security Service of Azerbaijan Major General Rufat Aliyev said in his speech at the international conference, "Addressing the Issue of Missing Persons: Upholding Families’ Right to Know the Truth," Trend reports.
He noted that a DNA database has been established based on the collected materials.
"Currently, around 4,000 of our compatriots are registered as missing. Following the 44-day war and anti-terror measures, as well as during construction works and excavations conducted by the State Commission for Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Persons, mass graves have been discovered," he said.
Baku is hosting an international conference on “Addressing the Issue of Missing Persons: Upholding Families’ Right to Know the Truth”.
The event started with an address by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to the participants of the conference, which was read out by Ali Naghiyev, Head of the State Security Service of Azerbaijan and Chairman of the State Commission for Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Citizens.
Head of the Central Search Agency of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Florence Anselmo, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Fariz Rzayev, Deputy Minister of Family and Social Services of the Republic of Türkiye Zafer Tarikdaroglu, and other officials are also taking part in the event.
The event is taking place today in Baku and will continue tomorrow in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan.