Labor migrants remain one of the most vulnerable groups targeted by international terrorist organizations in the post-Soviet space, according to Saimumin Yatimov, Chairman of Tajikistan’s State Committee for National Security (SCNS).
TASS reports that speaking at the Third CIS Conference on Countering Terrorism and Extremism held in Dushanbe yesterday, Yatimov said extremist networks linked to transnational and cybercrime have stepped up efforts to form sleeper cells across the region.
“Terrorist and extremist groups and their sleeper cells, affiliated with transnational and cybercriminal networks, are increasingly active in attempts to destabilize the region,” he said. “In recent years, international terrorist organizations have been creating sleeper cells within CIS countries. Recruitment is focused primarily on labor migrants, who are considered the most vulnerable segment of the population. These groups exploit regional mentalities to spread radical ideologies and politicize Islam.”
Yatimov reportedly also revealed that Tajik authorities have repatriated more than 4,000 students who had been studying at religious institutions abroad and were reportedly under the influence of radical groups.
“CIS nationals continue to take part in the ranks of international terrorist groups operating in Syria, gaining combat experience,” he added.
He emphasized that the Tajik government is taking “decisive and comprehensive measures” to counter these threats.
According to TASS, the conference, co-organized by Tajikistan’s SCNS and the CIS Anti-Terrorism Center, brought together over 150 participants from 11 CIS countries, members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and international bodies including the United Nations, SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
Participants discussed the transformation of the global security landscape, the role of political, economic, and religious factors in fueling terrorism, and the use of IT and artificial intelligence in threat monitoring.
