Khorog City, which is the capital of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) and four GBAO’s districts, namely Darvoz, Rushan, Shugnan and Murgab, have fulfilled their conscription campaign targets by October 5, Colonel Faridoun Mahmadalizoda, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense (MoD), told Asia-Plus in an interview.
According to him, Sangvor district (Rashet Valley) has also fulfilled its autumn conscription campaign target by October 5.
Meanwhile, the northern Sughd province sent the first group of conscripts to the army on October 4.
The autumn conscription campaign is carried out from October 1 through November, and 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 two-month-long effort seeking to enlist young men aged 18-27 for the one- or two-year compulsory military service takes place twice a year, in the spring and in the autumn.\
Tajikistan’s armed forces consist of Ground Forces, Mobile Forces (paratroopers of the armed forces of Tajikistan), Air Force and Air Defense Force.
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.
Meanwhile, amendments have been made to the country’s law on military service this year. The amendments came into effect on February 4 and young men in Tajikistan who wish to forgo the military service may now do so by paying a fee equivalent to 420 estimates (current estimate amounts to 60.00 somonis) to the government.
Recall, while presenting parliament with the draft bill on the conscription opt-out fee, Defense Minister Sherali Mirzo noted on January 20 that only 10 percent of eligible young people are enlisted to do military service each year.
