DUSHANBE, January 19, 2013, Asia-Plus — A special operation to detain members of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) is going on in Sughd province, Tajik Interior Minister Ramazon Rahimov announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on January 18.
According to him, more than ten persons involved in the IMU activities have been arrested in Sughd province over the past week. “Unfortunately, there were casualties among law enforcement officers as well,” said Rahimov. “One police officer was killed and two others were wounded in the special operation.”
He refrained from giving further details of the operation, pleading secrecy of investigation.
The IMU, which says it wants to establish an Islamic caliphate in Central Asia, has been banned in Tajikistan and other Central Asian countries. Tajikistan reportedly saw a spike in militant activity in 2010 that led to the deaths of dozens of troops.
Asked about possible provocations and terrorist attacks during this year in connection with presidential election, the minister said that they had prepared themselves for possible provocations. “We are cooperating with other law enforcement and power-wielding structures and strengthening our potential,” Rahimov said.
The minister also called on citizens to be vigilant, noting that terrorist and extremist groups might step up their activities as the country”s presidential election, set for November, draws near.
According to data of the Ministry of Interior (MoI), eleven organized crime groups were broken up in Tajikistan last year and 18 their members that committed 225 serious crimes were detained.
