Human bone fragments have been discovered in the village of Bash Guney in the Aghdara district, raising hopes that a family of five who went missing during the Armenian occupation more than three decades ago may finally be found.

AzerNEWS reports that the bone fragments are believed to belong to members of the family of Balay Alasgar oghlu Garibov. The remains were uncovered in the courtyard of the family’s former home by his grandson, Bakhtiyar Asgarov, during a search of the property.

The discovery brings renewed attention to the tragic events of March 12, 1992, when the village of Bash Guney was occupied by Armenian armed forces. On that day, five family members went missing and have not been heard from since.

The missing individuals have been identified as Balay Alasgar oghlu Garibov, born 1890; his wife Saray Eyvaz gizi Ismayilova, born 1928; their daughters Zabala Balay gizi Alasgarova, born 1946, and Ramila Balay gizi Alasgarova, born 1954; as well as their granddaughter Nargiz Aydin gizi Khudaverdiyeva, born 1972.

Authorities were notified following the discovery. The bone fragments have been collected by relevant agencies and submitted for forensic examination. Results of the analysis are pending and may provide long-awaited answers to the family’s fate.

The Aghdara district, located in the contested Karabakh region, witnessed heavy fighting during the early 1990s. Following the 2020 Second Karabakh War, much of the territory, including parts of Aghdara, came back under Azerbaijani control, allowing search and recovery efforts to proceed.