DUSHANBE, November 21, 2012, Asia-Plus – Servicemen of the Russian military based deployed in Tajikistan will not be used for suppressing protests in Khorog [the capital of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region] in the event of recurrence of them, Nikolai Bordyuzha, Secretary-General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.
“I completely rule out this, because Russian military contingent deployed in Tajikistan is intended to provide assistance to Tajikistan with repulsing external threats,” Bordyuzha told Moscow News in an interview.
The CSTO secretary-general noted that no one of agreements signed between the countries provides for involvement of Russian troops in tackling domestic political problems in Tajikistan.
“I hope that measures taken by the President of Tajikistan for stabilization of the situation in Khorog will prevent further deterioration of the situation,” Bordyuzha was quoted as saying.
We will recall that 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 blamed Tolib Ayombekov, a former warlord from the civil war who had been deputy chief of border unit in the Ishkashim district until recently, for the murder of the regional security chief Abdullo Nazarov. Hundreds of troops have reportedly poured into Khorog to hunt down Ayombekov.
Authorities also accused Ayombekov of drug-trading and smuggling tobacco and precious stones.
Tolib Ayombekov has denied the accusations and said the government is using Nazarov”s death as a pretext for cementing its grip over Gorno Badakhshan. Tolib Ayombekov surrendered to the authorities on August 12.
Another former filed commander of the United Tajik Opposition (UTO) in Gorno Badakhshan, Imomnazar Imomnazarov, was murdered by unknown assailants in his home in Khorog on August 22.
