Members of Mamadboqiorv’s group hand over part of weapons to police

DUSHANBE, February 27, Asia-Plus  — On Tuesday February 26, representatives from an armed group of Mamadboqir Mamadboqirov voluntarily handed over 10 unit of sub-machine-gun Kalashnikov to the GBAO police directorate, Asia-Plus has learned at the Ministry of Interior (MoI). 

However, the source at a MoI said that the group still has at least another 40 units of firearms, “which they have had since the time of civil war in the country.”  

The source further added that it cannot be ruled out that the voluntary handing over of those 10 Kalashnikov had been the result of negotiations between the GBAO police authorities and members of that group as well as the demonstration that was held in Khorog yesterday.  

We will recall that some 200 residents of Khorog held a demonstration yesterday afternoon.  According to the Ministry of Interior (MoI), they demanded handing over of illegally possessed weapons.

In the meantime, Asia-Plus’ correspondent for Khorog reported that some 200 people, primarily women, gathered near School #2 in the center of the city Tuesday afternoon, at around 2:00 p.m.  Shortly after, demonstrators moved to the area near Khorog State University. 

The demonstrators carried placards that read “Mothers against Weapons!” and “Don’t Cause Clash between Our Sons!”    

The meeting lasted about one hour and the demonstrators then disbursed. 

Speaking in interview with Asia-Plus, Ms, Jonsulton Guldastashoyeva, the chairperson of the GBAO Committee for Family and Women’s Affairs, initiators of the demonstration were women from some residential entities of Khorog.

We will recall that a high-ranking official with a MoI told Asia-plus on Monday that a group of armed persons fired at a building of the Khorog police department Saturday evening.  According to him, a group of armed people numbering seven persons, led by Mamadboqir Mamadboqirov, former commanders of one of frontier posts in the Murgab district, fired several times at the building of the Khorog police department.  They then burst into the building and beat one of duty officers, according to him.