DUSHANBE, November 24, 2015, Asia-Plus — By government’s decision deputy defense ministers and chief of the Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense have been replaced.
According to the Tajik president’s official website, President Emomali Rahmon today received a group of newly appointed senior officials of the power-wielding structure and the information-cultural sphere.
Emomali Sobiroda, who had previously served as Commander of Ground Forces of Tajikistan, was appointed First Deputy Minister of Defense and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Tajikistan.
By government’s decision Abdulhoshim Ghulomzoda, Asror Ltifzoda and Soleh Kholzoda were appointed deputy ministers of defense.
Jaloliddin Sharipov was appointed Chief of the Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense.
By president’s decree Bobojon Saidzoda was appointed Commander of the Ground Forces of Tajikistan.
According to some forces, the staff changes have been introduced following the foiled terrorist plot that took place in Tajikistan in early September.
We will recall that that former deputy defense minister Abduhalim Nazarzoda and a group of gunmen under his control launched a predawn attack on the main police station in the Vahdat Township, east of the Tajik capital on September 4, and clashed later that day with security forces at a Defense Ministry building not far from the Dushanbe International Airport. Nine police officers were killed and six others were wounded in those attacks.
Nazarzoda, his associate Colonel Junaidulloh Umarov, and several other gunmen then fled to the Romit Gorge, adjacent to Vahdat, where the government forces launched a security operation to hunt down them.
Hours after the September 4 attacks, President Emomali Rahmon dismissed Nazarzoda as deputy defense minister “for committing a crime.” The Prosecutor-General”s Office said on September 8 that Abduhalim Nazarzoda has been officially charged with high treason, terrorism, sabotage, and creating an extremist group.
Nazarzoda and a group of his followers were surrounded by government security forces in the Gusgev area about 110 kilometers of Vahdat and were killed on September 16 after refusing to surrender.
Abduhalim Nazarzoda, 51, had served as deputy defense minister since January 2014.
