DUSHANBE, April 19, 2011, Asia-Plus — To-date, Tajik law enforcement have identified the bodies of nine militants that were killed in a special operation in Rasht district on April 15, Nozirjon Bouriyev, head of the State Committee for national Security (SCNS)’ press center told Asia-Plus today.
Among them are Sulaimonsho Mahmadshoyev, 36, resident of the village of Shul in Rasht district, Ayomiddin Mannonov, nicknamed Umar, 30, resident of the village of Sherbegiyon in Nourobod district, Manouchehr Mannonov, 23, resident of the village of Sherbegiyon in Nourobod district, Davlat Nouriddinov, 42, resident of the village of Sherbegiyon in Nourobod district, Muhammad Davlatjon, also known as Kholid, 17, resident of the village of Sherbegiyon in Nourobod district, Mahdi Sharipov, 23, resident of the village of Sherbegiyon in Nourobod district, Lutfullo Murodov, 19, resident of the village of Sherbegiyon in Nourobod district, Merojiddin Murodov, also known as Abdulvosit, resident of Nourobod district, and Mirzoahmad Mahmadov, also known as Khoushvakht (he is also resident of Nourodobod district.
The work to identify the bodies of militants killed in the operation in Rasht district is going on, the SCNS spokesman added.
According to him, a large amount of weapons and explosives, subversive literature and leaflets, detailed plan of preparation of terrorist acts, instructions for manufacturing explosive devices, as well as large amount of food, electricity generator, firewood, and 15 gas cylinders have been found in their temporary camp.
Tajik law enforcement authorities say a search operation for militant leader Mullo Abdullo and his followers that began on Aril 14 was over April 16.
Tajik national TV channel, Shabakai Avval (Channel One), reported on April 17 that militant leader Mullo Abdullo was killed on April 15 along with 16 of his confederates in Rasht district, some 50 kilometers west of Gharm, the administrative center of Rasht district. Two local residents that were voluntarily providing assistance to the government forces were killed and two police officers were wounded, Shabakai Avval reported. Images of the body of Mullo Abdullo were shown on state television.
Authorities say Mullo Abdullo, who never accepted the peace agreement of 1997 that ended Tajikistan”s civil war, and his confederates were behind the September 19 attack on Tajik army forces in Kamarob Gorge in Rasht district, in which at least 28 servicemen were killed and more than 10 others wounded. Following this incident, the government forces began a counterterrorism operation in Rasht on September 22.
In recent months, Tajik law enforcement authorities have said several times that the operation in the Rasht Valley was over, but then admitted it is continuing. The law enforcement authorities reported on January 4 that one of the suspected attackers Alovuddin Davlatov (Ali Bedaki) and his seven confederates have been killed in a special operation in Rasht district.
Mullo Abdullo was one of UTO filed commanders during the country’s 1992-1997 civil war. He never accepted the peace treaty and reportedly fled to Afghanistan. In 2009, a few reports surfaced that he had returned to Tajikistan and was hiding in the mountains around the Rasht district.
