Major fighting reported in Khorugh, capital of Tajikistani Badakhsan

[barakelde]

Бои в районе Хорога: погибли около 100 военнослужащих


24 Июля 2012 15:13 MCK
В военный госпиталь Душанбе продолжают доставлять тяжелораненых солдат правительственной армии из таджикского Хорога, где продолжается спецоперация по задержанию причастных к убийству генерала Абдулло Назарова.
По официальным данным, в столицу уже прилетел вертолет с 8 ранеными, также в госпитале готовятся встретить около 60 раненых солдат.
По предварительным данным, погибли около 100 военнослужащих. Сообщается о более 100 жертвах среди мирного населения.
В Горном Бадахшане по-прежнему отключены все виды связи.
Наблюдатели полагают, что Душанбе намерено проводит широкомасштабную военную спецоперацию, больше похожую на акцию устрашения, а не на операцию по задержанию несколько подозреваемых в убийстве генерала спецслужб.
Горный Бадахшан неоднократно выражал свое недовольство действиями местных властей, обвиняя их в коррумпированности и жестоком обращении. Центральные власти в регионе менее влиятельные, чем неформальные лидеры Памира, что всегда вызывало раздражение таджикских властей.


____________________
Very quick translation:
A few days ago Abdullo Nazarov, head of the local GKNB directorate (Tajik national secuirty service) was killed in Badakhshan. Official versions are that he was killed by tobacco smugglers, but I've heard that he was killed during a drunken brawl with the locals.

In retaliation, central government from Dushanbe has sent over 3K soldiers, helicopters and armor to Khorog. Khorog is the capital of Gorno Badakhsan Autonomous Oblast (Region) - home of the Pamiri community. Dushanbe has long suspected Pamiris of separatism.

According to latest unconfirmed reports about 100 soldiers were killed, more than 100 civilian casualties.

[barakelde]

Earlier news:

http://en.ca-news.org/print:509031/

CA-NEWS (TJ) - The active phase of the special operation aimed to neutralized suspects of murder of National Security State Committee Major General Abdullo Nazarov started in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, a source in Khorog administration told CA-News.

“The special operation using helicopters is held since 4.00 am. Officers of foreign organizations were evacuated to Kalaihumb. The entry to and exit from Khorog is temporarily closed,” a source said.

Public servants were allowed to leave work places in the second half of Monday. “Nobody came to the office today,” a source said.

Sources in the law enforcement agencies confirmed information about the beginning of the special operation aimed to neutralize the suspects of the murder of Major General Abdullo Nazarov, who was killed on July 21 in the attack.

The State National Security Committee and the Interior Ministry made a joint statement on Tuesday saying that the preliminary investigation established that Nazarov was attacked by unlawful armed group led by Tolib Aiembekov, resident of Khorog, who serves as chief of the border outpost in Ishkashim.

Aiembekov and his cronies refused from the offer to surrender. “With the purpose to prevent casualties among civilians and at the instruction of the President of the country a commission comprising MPs, government members, heads of law enforcement agencies, statesmen and public figures, Muslim leaders, local community leaders was created, who met with Aiembekov and his supporters several times for 3 days. They offered them to surrender perpetrators to police,” the statement read.

The special services say Aiembekov rejected this offer, gathered criminals and began armed attack.
In connection with this the law enforcement and security agencies began the special operation in the morning of July 24 with the purpose to stabilize the situation in Khorog and to detain members of the organized crime group.
According to the national security agency, Aiembekov created a crime group and was involved into trafficking of drugs, tobacco products, precious stones for several years having committed serious crimes.
The news agency Asia-Plus reported that the talks were held with Aiembekov to surrender murders of the Major General. Aiembekov rejected the offer. Aiembekov used to be warlord during the civil war in Tajikistan.
"One of our demands is impartial investigation of the murder,” Aiembekov said. Aiembekov described current actions of the Tajik authorities as the attempt to neutralize former warlords. He said he fears provocations which may lead to a large scale military operation in the region.

[barakelde]

Earlier news http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news/int...l?cid=33168730
Tajik troops suffer losses in battle with ex-warlord

By Roman Kozhevnikov

DUSHANBE (*******) - Tajik government forces launched their biggest operation for nearly two years on Tuesday, losing nine dead and 25 wounded in an attack on a former opposition warlord accused of killing a security services chief in a remote eastern region.

The pre-dawn attack was ordered after Maj.-Gen. Abdullo Nazarov, head of the regional branch of the State Committee on National Security (GKNB), was beaten to death on Saturday by a group who stopped his car in the Gorno-Badakhshan region.

Communications were cut off in the regional capital, Khorog, and a Khorog resident said locals had been told to stay at home and gunfire could be heard in the distance.

"The battle is still raging," a senior security service source told ******* on condition of anonymity. "Both sides are suffering big losses. "Our losses are nine dead and 25 wounded."

[barakelde]

Another dimension to the conflict:
Most of Tajikistan is Sunni, whereas Badakhshan is Shia (Ismaili, to be specific).
There has been some theories that Dushanbe is fighting Afghani Talibans who have allied with the local Ismaili groups in Khorugh. This is complete bollocks the Ismailis would never even consider such an alliance. In fact, the Ismailis are one of the most progressive branches of Islam.

The Pamiris that I have talked to say that Rakhmon is using the murder of GKNB general as a pretext to get rid of competition in Khorog (unfinished civil war business). If things are indeed as bad as it is reported in the news, Badakhshan will be more than ever pushing for more autonomy/independence.

Эксперты выдвигают разные версии причин разразившегося конфликта. Одни говорят, что боевые действия – результат войны контрабандистов и их противников. Другие настаивают на этнической составляющей конфликта. Третью, альтернативную точку зрения, выдвигает доктор исторических наук, профессор, старший научный сотрудник института востоковедения Российской академии наук Александр Князев.

- Это попытка правительства Эмомали Рахмона избавиться от остатков политической оппозиции, - уверен эксперт. - А поскольку на Памире живут в основном памирцы (это целая группа народностей, они не таджики в этническом плане, хотя отдаленно и родственны им), она приобретает этнический характер. К этим же факторам можно отнести конфессиональные различия: таджики - сунниты, а памирцы - исмаилиты. Последнее, кстати, полностью исключает ерунду, тиражируемую сейчас многими СМИ - об участии афганских талибов в группировке Аёмбекова. Представить вместе радикальных суннитов - талибов и исмаилитов - это полная чушь. Не знаю, что уж сподвигло Рахмона на такие репрессивные меры, как применение авиабомбардировок города, убийства женщин и детей, но думаю, что это может иметь продолжение по двум, как минимум, линиям. Это начало конца режима Рахмона. И это вполне возможное начало сепаратистского движения в Бадахшане за отделение от Таджикистана.

[Andy_UA]

When couple of weeks ago Russian MoD said that there is high probability of conflict in Middle Asia in coming years, didn't Tajikistan and Uzbekistan strike back saying that these claims are groundless and are inciting fearmongering or whatever in the region

Next to the Embassy of Tajikistan in Moscow on Tuesday an unauthorized rally was held by the natives of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), which require the immediate cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of troops from the area.

"There is ethnic cleansing on Pamir. We contacted with our family via satellite and they say that the city was being bombed from the air. There are numerous destruction. also comes information about the many civilian casualties, "- said the chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Tajikistan's Gorno-Badakhshan Olim Sherzamonov .When couple of weeks ago Russian MoD said that there is high probability of conflict in Middle Asia in coming years, didn't Tajikistan and Uzbekistan strike back saying that these claims are groundless and are inciting fearmongering or whatever in the region

link

According to Lenta.ru, arrested five Afghans suspected militants of the movement "Taliban." Tajik newspaper Imruz-News reports that the border of Afghan territory, "there is a concentration of military" - next to the Lake Shiva on the border of the Tajikistan and Afghan Badakhshan may be armed group of about 200 militants.

[Nizark]

Ya know I'm kinda curious. Every hour in the US there is SWAT operation, many of which use choppers, APC's, gas and generally bad ass looking dudes. Do other countries report with, "Major fighting reported in Oakland/Compton/NYC/Texas?"

[antman311]

Does Tajikistan have a contingent in Afghanistan?

[zg18]

Does Tajikistan have a contingent in Afghanistan?

They have something better , 1/5 of Afghanistan population is ethnic Tajik.

[IconOfEvi]

I was wondering if this is going to have repercussions in Afghanistan too...

Saying Ismaili's are in league with the Taliban? The Taliban views heretics like them even worse than heathens! Sounds like crap indeed.

Short of the Druze, Ismaili are about as heretical as it gets. There is no way the Taliban would tolerate them

Stay safe barakelde!

[Hisroyalhighness]

Tajik Opposition Asks Putin for Help

Tajik opposition activists have sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin asking him to help resolve the military conflict in eastern Tajikistan that has left over 200 people dead, Russian RBC daily reported on Thursday, citing Tajik opposition activist Ikbolsho Muborakshoyev.
Russia is “the only authoritative force that can influence the situation and call the opposing sides to dialogue,” Muborakshoyev told a press conference on Thursday.
“Unfortunately, the official position recently announced by the Foreign Ministry is unacceptable for us since it supports the government’s actions,” he said, adding that the talks between the government and opposition have little chance of success because the government is pressuring the opposition.
Muborakshoyev charged that the military operation near the eastern Tajik city of Khorog, officially targeting the suspected killers of a top security official, was actually an attempt by President Emomali Rakhmon to suppress the opposition, which is traditionally influential in this part of the country.
Tajik security officials reported on Tuesday that 30 militants, including eight Afghan citizens, were killed and 40 were detained during a special operation in Tajikistan’s southern Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region against a mafia-style group believed to be behind the murder of Abdullo Nazarov, chief of the Tajikistan National Security Committee, who was killed on July 21.
Dushanbe denies any casualties among civilians, but the opposition media reported about over 200 dead, including security officers and civilians.
Putin has yet to respond to the appeal.

[HHH816]

nut's , got any video of the fighthing