KONIBODOM, April 5, 2012, Asia-Plus — The first group of conscripts from Konibodom numbering 44 people was sent to serve in the army on April 5.
“In all, 227 draftees from Konibodom will be sent to serve in the army during the spring conscription campaign,” Rustam Ibrohimov, the chief of the Konibodom military registration and enlistment office, told Asia-Plus in an interview.
“30 local young men will finish the driver training courses within the next few days and will be sent to serve in the army,” the Konibodom chief recruitment officer added.
According to him, 188 young men from Konibodom were sent to serve in the army during the last year’s autumn conscription campaign.
We will recall that President Emomali Rahmon signed a decree on drafting young Tajiks into the country’s armed forces from April through May 2012 on March 14.
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 fall.
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.
