01:30Residents of Yerevan welcomed the prisoners of war returned from Azerbaijan after a mutual exchange between the sides on Wednesday.
Footage shows a crowd of people applauding the arrival of the soldiers, and family and friends hugging them.
"I'm meeting my uncle, I've been waiting for him for three years with bated breath. I can't even describe the extent of my joy, it's indescribable happiness. I don't know, I wish every family [whose relatives have not yet returned from captivity] to experience such joy. We are grateful to everyone who has contributed to this endeavour," a relative of a serviceman shared.
The exchange, agreed on December 7, was the first since Azerbaijan retook control of the breakaway territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, a separatist area governed by ethnic Armenians.
The long-running conflict escalated in September, with the beginning of what Azerbaijan called a 'counter-terrorist operation' in the region. Armenia described it as a 'large-scale aggression'.
Following the fighting, Nagorno-Karabakh's government said the self-declared republic would cease to exist by January 2024, while many ethnic Armenians left the area.
Baku claims sovereignty over the territory, while earlier this year, the Yerevan government recognised Azerbaijan’s claim - but also called for protection for the region's ethnic Armenians.
'Grateful to everyone who contributed' - Yerevan welcomes POWs released by Azerbaijan
Residents of Yerevan welcomed the prisoners of war returned from Azerbaijan after a mutual exchange between the sides on Wednesday.
Footage shows a crowd of people applauding the arrival of the soldiers, and family and friends hugging them.
"I'm meeting my uncle, I've been waiting for him for three years with bated breath. I can't even describe the extent of my joy, it's indescribable happiness. I don't know, I wish every family [whose relatives have not yet returned from captivity] to experience such joy. We are grateful to everyone who has contributed to this endeavour," a relative of a serviceman shared.
The exchange, agreed on December 7, was the first since Azerbaijan retook control of the breakaway territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, a separatist area governed by ethnic Armenians.
The long-running conflict escalated in September, with the beginning of what Azerbaijan called a 'counter-terrorist operation' in the region. Armenia described it as a 'large-scale aggression'.
Following the fighting, Nagorno-Karabakh's government said the self-declared republic would cease to exist by January 2024, while many ethnic Armenians left the area.
Baku claims sovereignty over the territory, while earlier this year, the Yerevan government recognised Azerbaijan’s claim - but also called for protection for the region's ethnic Armenians.
Residents of Yerevan welcomed the prisoners of war returned from Azerbaijan after a mutual exchange between the sides on Wednesday.
Footage shows a crowd of people applauding the arrival of the soldiers, and family and friends hugging them.
"I'm meeting my uncle, I've been waiting for him for three years with bated breath. I can't even describe the extent of my joy, it's indescribable happiness. I don't know, I wish every family [whose relatives have not yet returned from captivity] to experience such joy. We are grateful to everyone who has contributed to this endeavour," a relative of a serviceman shared.
The exchange, agreed on December 7, was the first since Azerbaijan retook control of the breakaway territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, a separatist area governed by ethnic Armenians.
The long-running conflict escalated in September, with the beginning of what Azerbaijan called a 'counter-terrorist operation' in the region. Armenia described it as a 'large-scale aggression'.
Following the fighting, Nagorno-Karabakh's government said the self-declared republic would cease to exist by January 2024, while many ethnic Armenians left the area.
Baku claims sovereignty over the territory, while earlier this year, the Yerevan government recognised Azerbaijan’s claim - but also called for protection for the region's ethnic Armenians.