Ishkashim border guard unit commander accused over Tajik general's killing
DUSHANBE. July 24 (Interfax) - An operation is being conducted in Tajikistan's eastern Gorno-Badakhshan autonomous province to neutralize armed groups led by the opposition's former field commander Tolib Aiyembekov, who today heads the Ishkashim border guard unit, the Tajik National Security Committee said in a press release on Tuesday.
Aiyembekov and his supporters have been accused of being involved in the murder of Maj. Gen. Abdullo Nazarov, chief of the committee's department for the Gorno-Badakhshan autonomous province.
"A preliminary investigation has shown that this crime was committed by members of an armed group led by Khorog city resident and Ishkashim border guard unit commander Tolib Aiyembekov," it said.
"Aiyembekov and his supporters refused to turn themselves in to police, thus ignoring the orders of agencies investigating this murder," the committee said.
The committee accused the former field commander of setting up an armed group suspected of "long-time" involvement in smuggling drugs, tobacco and gemstones cultivated or mined in the autonomous province. Aiyembekov is also suspected of committing serious and very serious crimes.
The Tajik authorities held three-day negotiations in an attempt to strike a peaceful agreement with Aiymbekov, who fought on the side of the opposition Popular Front, which helped President Emomali Rakhmon come to power in Tajikistan, during the 1992-97 civil war, the committee said.
"Aiyembekov categorically rejected this offer and started to mobilize armed criminals in order to put up armed resistance," it said.
"Law enforcement and military services launched an operation in the city of Khorog on July 24 in order to normalize the situation there and detain members of this organized criminal group and bring them to justice," the committee said.
The Gorno-Badakhshan autonomous province is a sparsely populated region in eastern Tajikistan covered by the Pamir Mountain Range.
"We are certain that residents of the city of Khorog and the region will condemn such crimes and will actively cooperate with law enforcement agencies in order to protect public order, peace and the rule of law," the committee said.
"The people of the country should be confident that the criminals will be detained and put to trial," the committee said.
A series of operations to neutralize units led by former field commanders took place in eastern Tajikistan from summer 2010 to the beginning of 2011. Some 60 opposition supporters and up to 40 officers of law enforcement agencies were killed.