Between 1817 and 1864, around 1.5 million Circassians, Abkhazians, and Adyghes were forcibly deported from the Caucasus to the Ottoman Empire. Most settled there, but many dispersed worldwide. Over 500,000 people perished from hunger and disease during the relocation.
This period marked the Russian Empire’s conquest of the Caucasus, known as the Russo-Caucasian War.
It is estimated that 80% of all ethnic Abkhazians live outside their historical homeland. In Abkhazia, these individuals are referred to as Mahajirs.
The exact number of Mahajirs remains uncertain, varying from 500,000 to one million. The largest Abkhaz diasporas are found in Turkey, Syria, and Jordan.
The victims of the Russo-Caucasian War are commemorated annually on May 21st. On this day in 1864, a military parade was held at Kbaada, now known as Krasnaya Polyana in Russia, marking the end of the fifty-year war.
During the times of the Russian Empire and later Soviet Russia, returning to their homeland was prohibited for Mahajirs. However, in the last 25 years, Abkhazia has officially declared repatriation as a cherished dream of the people and a national ideal.
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