DUSHANBE, July 30, 2012, Asia-Plus – Asia-Plus’s correspondent in Khorog reports an illegal armed group in one of Khorog’s neighborhoods, known as Khlebzavod, has begun to lay down weapons. The details of the process are unknown.
Meanwhile, an independent commission of mediators for settlement of the incident recently met with GBAO administrators.
Asia-Plus’ Ramziya Mirzobekova reports that the current situation in Khorog is calm. According to her, the government forces and those whom the authorities called “militants” have come to an agreement and the barricades have been removed and 70 delivery trucks have been allowed to move to Dushanbe (some 40 truck moved to Dushanbe on July 27 and more than 30 trucks moved to Dushanbe on July 28).
Local residents say that in exchange for that the government forces promised to remove snipers from mountains around Khorog and remove soldiers from private houses, where they planted themselves. However, they have not done that so far.
Yesterday, the government troops reportedly evacuated residents of the Selkhoztekhnika area by force.
It also turned out that vehicle belonging to Tolib Ayombekov was found two days ago in the river in the Roshtqala district. Local resident consider that Ayombekov could be killed in the accident.
In the meantime, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reported on July 29 that the Tajik government says a group of young fighters who were engaged in clashes with security forces have begun to lay down their arms.
The announcement was made by the Interior Ministry, which promised amnesty to the rebels who voluntarily lay down their weapons.
In a statement late on July 28, the ministry said women activists and religious leaders were involved in the negotiations with the young fighters.
Meanwhile, officials and local media said the main regional town of Khorog was quiet following clashes there during the day between security forces and militants.
Earlier in Dushanbe, Tajik prosecutors said militants had refused to lay down their weapons despite a cease-fire.
The prosecutors provided a higher death toll from the fighting this week, saying 17 members of the security forces, 30 militants, and one civilian were killed in the clashes in and around Khorog.
The fighting began when government forces launched an operation in the eastern Gorno-Badakhshan region against what it called “militants” following the murder of a high-level security official there on July 21.
The government has blamed Tolib Ayombekov, a former warlord from the civil war, for the murder of regional security chief General Abdullo Nazarov.
