A group of servicemen of an elite sub-unit of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS), Alpha Group, arrived in the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) to hunt wolves that are especially aggressive during the winter months and often attack villagers in Tajikistan's mountainous regions.
According to the GBAO administration press center, the servicemen are provided with special hunting guns and equipment.
They will hunt wolves in Porshnev, Suchan, Navobod, Wer, Wanqala and Gharibsho Shahbozov jamaots in the Shugnan district, Tusyon, Tavdem and Qurbonsho Gadoli jamoats in the Roshtqala district as well as in Pastkhouf, Rushon, Nazarsho Dodkhudoyev and Abdulvose jamoats in the Rushan district.
The GBAO administration press center says the number of wolves has increased in the region and they have become posing threat to the population.
Recall, wolves killed two women and injured several other people in GBAO last year, prompting complaints from residents that they have been unable to defend themselves against wolf attacks since local authorities confiscated their hunting rifles.
In 2018, the two victims of the wolf attack were 83-year-old Amalbegim Tashrifbekova and her 55-year-old daughter Mastibegim Davandova from the Porshnev jamoat.
There have been other deadly wolf attacks in the region in recent years.
In July 2017, wolves killed a 3-year-old child in the Wanqala jamoat, Shugnan district.
In early 2013, separate wolf attacks killed an elderly woman and severely injured another elderly woman in the Navobod jamoat, Shugnan district.
The Tajik authorities confiscated the hunting rifles of villagers in the Gorno Badakhshan Region several years ago.
