DUSHANBE, April 22, 2016, Asia-Plus – Tajikistan’s wanted ISIS jihadi recruiter Anushervon Azimov, nicknamed “Anas,” has been killed near the city of Aleppo in Syria, a source at Tajik law enforcement authorities was quoted as saying by
Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service
, locally known as
Ozodi
.
A 26-year-old resident of the Tajik city of Norak, Anushervon Azimov, reportedly managed to recruit more than 100 Tajik nationals for ISIS.
We will recall that an official source at the Tajik law enforcement authorities told
Ozodi
on April 11 that 40 percent of Tajiks who returned from Syria said that they had been recruited in Moscow by young Tajik nicknamed “Anas.”
According to him, they received information about “Anas” half a year ago. That time, he was reportedly in Russia and he disappeared after he had been declared wanted by Tajik police.
Anushervon Azimov had reportedly been engaged in recruitment of young Tajiks for ISIS over the past two years.
According to official data, some 1 million Tajik nationals are in Russia for seasonal work. The Tajik authorities and expert say labor migrants are vulnerable for recruitment by terrorists.
Tajik authorities say up to 1,000 nationals have joined ISIS militants in Syria and Iraq, doubling the figure that officials previously provided. The majority of them have reportedly been recruited in Russia.
Tajik authorities promise amnesty to Tajik militants in Syria and Iraq who wish to come home. According to official data, 60 Tajik nationals have returned from Syria so far, and all of them have been granted amnesty.
Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service
reported on April 4 that the source, who spoke to it on condition of anonymity, said 300 Tajiks had been killed in Syria and Iraq and only around 200 remained. The source added that more than 20 parents of individuals who went to Syria had asked for help returning their children, who are on the Turkish border.
It is not possible to independently verify these figures,
Ozodi
said, noting that ISIS does not publish casualty figures for its militants, making it impossible to know how many fighters of each nationality have died. But there have been signs of an increased casualty rate among ISIS militants over the past months, including of Russian-speaking and Central Asian fighters in ISIS”s offensive at Baiji in Iraq,
Ozodi
reported.
