DUSHANBE, September 29, Asia-Plus — A senior representative of the Ministry of Defense (MoD) has reportedly been detained on suspicion of being involved in former deputy defense minister’s mutiny.
An official source at one of Tajikistan’s power-wielding structures says Colonel Nazar Safarov, an official at the MoD Ground Forces Directorate, was detained in Dushanbe on September 27.
“Safarov was aware of the plot and he actively participated in organizing the plot alongside Abduhalim Nazarzoda, Eshoni Junaidulloh and Mullo Umar,” the source said.
We will recall that that mutinous former Deputy Defense Minister Abduhalim Nazarzoda was killed along with 10 of his supporters during a battle in the Romit Gorge area to the east of Dushanbe on September 16.
According to the Tajik law enforcement authorities, Nazarzoda and a group of his followers were surrounded by government security forces about 150 kilometers east of Dushanbe and were killed after refusing to surrender.
The authorities blamed Nazarzoda and his followers for attacks on September 4 against a police station and an arsenal near Dushanbe that killed nine police officers.
During the special security operation that lasted from September 4 to September 16, 25 militants were killed and 125 others were detained. 14 law enforcement officers were reportedly killed in the operation.
