DUSHANBE, March 29, 2016, Asia-Plus — Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Azim Ibrohim, has been appointed to head the republic commission for organization of the spring conscription campaign and Major-General Khoushvakht Mehrovarov, who is the chief of the organization-and-mobilization department at the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Tajikistan, and Sharaf Fayzullozoda, the head of the defense and law-and-order department at President’s Executive Office, have been appointed the deputy heads of this commission, Faridoun Mahmadaliyev, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense (MoD), told Asia-Plus today morning.
We will recall that President Emomali Rahmon signed a decree on the spring conscription campaign on March 15, 2016.
The spring conscription campaign starts in Tajikistan on April 1. During the spring conscription campaign, young Tajiks are drafted into the country’s armed forces from April through May 2016.
The draft affects able-bodied male citizens in the age bracket of 18 years old to 27 years old, who are not members of the armed forces reserve. The same decree provides for the retirement from active duty of soldiers and sergeants whose service under conscription is over.
According to the Ministry of Defense, every year, some 15,000-16,000 young Tajik men are drafted into the country’s armed forces. The two-month-long effort seeking to enlist young men aged 18-27 for the two-year compulsory military service takes place twice a year, in the spring and in the autumn.
Some sources say more than 600,000 young men in Tajikistan are eligible for military service, but some 150,000 of them have received draft deferments or are exempted from the military service and some 100,000 other conscript-age young Tajiks are outside the country in search of a living.
Young Tajiks can avoid or postpone military service if they are ill, studying at university, an only son, or if they have two children.
Tajikistan”s armed forces consist of Land Forces, Mobile Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, and Security Forces (internal and border troops).
