DUSHANBE, August 4, 2012, Asia-Plus — The process of voluntary surrender of weapons is continuing in Khorog, the capital of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, with militants handing over a large amount of firearms over the past two week, an official website of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) reported on August 4.
According tot the website, close cooperation between the law enforcement authorities and local population has promoted the process of the surrender of weapons by the armed groups.
The militants reportedly laid down the large amount of assault rifles Kalashnikov, grenade launchers, shells and other ammunition on Friday.
The Ministry of Interior stresses that the Gorno Badakhshan capital is now calm.
We will recall that the militants have handed over some 300 weapons by August 3. The militants agreed to disarm as part of a deal to end the clashes.
The clashes began in Khorog on July 24 when government forces launched a military operation against what it called “militants” following the murder of the regional security chief Abdullo Nazarov on July 21.
The authorities have blamed Tolib Ayombekov, a former warlord from the civil war, for the murder of Abdullo Nazarov.
According to some media sources, fighting that occurred in Khorog last week has left at least 17 soldiers, 30 militants, and some 20 civilians dead.
The authorities are still demanding that four people it considers responsible for the assassination be handed over to face justice.
