DUSHANBE, August 24, 2010, Asia-Plus — Manhunt for 25 armed fugitives who killed at least five prison guards while breaking out of pretrial detention facility # 1 in Dushanbe in the early hours of Monday morning and then reportedly fled toward the Rasht Valley (eastern Tajikistan) has not yielded results.
A reliable source at one of special services of Tajikistan told Asia-Plus today morning that a team in pursuit yesterday combed the part of eastern Tajikistan, including Romit Gorge, some 45 kilometers northeast of Dushanbe.
“Four cars abandoned by the escaped prisoners have been found: one of them has been found on the Dushanbe-Vahdat highway; another one has been found in Romit Gorge; and two cars have been found in Fayzobod district,” said the source, “Judging by fingerprints found in the abandoned cars it is safe to say that the fugitives had accomplices, who were waiting for them outside the pretrial detention center”
Representatives from all law enforcement and power-wielding structures of the country are involved in the special operation to find and detain the escaped prisoners, and special services of Russia and Afghanistan are expected to join them soon.
We will recall that President Emomali Rahmon yesterday convene a meeting in Dushanbe with senior police and security officials to discuss efforts to detain the escaped prisoners. Senior police and security officials reported on an ongoing operation to detect and detain the escapees. By president’s order an operational group has been set up to seek and detain the escapees. Minister of Interiors Abdurahim Qahhorov heads the operational group
