DUSHANBE, June 20, 2014, Asia-Plus — More than 200 Tajik are fighting in foreign armed conflicts, mainly in Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Tajik Interior Minister, Ramazon Rahimzoda, told journalists in Dushanbe on June 19.
According to him, one of the main reasons for participation of young men from Tajikistan in fighting in Syria on the side of rebel forces is their wrong view on Islam.
“Young men who want to get illegal religious education abroad are frequently being involved in activities of international extremist groups. When they return home, they bring with them not only the science of religion but also ideology of Islamic radicalism,” the minister noted.
“Under the current situation, only strong state power that has strong political will is able to keep the country from ethnic and religious conflicts. That is why fight against extremism is as important today as ever it was before,” said Rahimzoda. “And it is important not only to Tajikistan but to all countries around the world.”
We will recall that according to Tajik authorities, four Tajik nationals have been killed in Syria, and six others have been arrested in Tajikistan upon their return from Syria.
In December 2013, Tajikistan”s Supreme Court sentenced five of the country”s citizens to around two years in jail for fighting on the side of antigovernment forces in Syria. The five were reportedly students at the Syrian International University who decided to join Syrian rebel forces. All five were detained in October when they returned to Tajikistan. Since Tajikistan did not have a law against “mercenaries” that time, the five were charged with “participation in a criminal group or in other armed groups.”
Meanwhile, Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament on May 22 approved an amendment to the Criminal Code stipulating punishment for Tajik nationals taking part in foreign armed conflicts.
According to some media sources, more than 190 Tajik are fighting in Syria on the side of rebel forces.
