DUSHANBE, 17.06.2022 (NIAT Khovar) — The Interdepartmental Staff for Security and Public Order in GBAO officially announces that the activities of organized terrorist groups in the region have been completely suppressed, reports the Staff’s Press Center.

Their message states:

“The changing situation in the world and the dangerous influence of superpowers’ confrontations has become the cause of geopolitical games and political conflicts.
The confrontations and violent conflicts have left millions of people impoverished and left to fend for themselves, while prosperous and developed cities and developing countries have faced serious economic and social problems.

Awareness of complete peace, political stability and protection of the gains of independence is a duty of honor and conscience of every conscious citizen of the country.

Protecting the values ​​of independence, sovereignty and integrity of Motherland is the main goal of all the glorious people of Tajikistan.

The events at the end of May that took place in Khorug and Rushon were pre-planned, through which internal and external stakeholders sought to destabilize the security in the region and disturb the peace of the citizens.

Organized criminal groups pose a serious threat to the development and stability of the state, society, various spheres of life, worldview, and spirituality of the younger generation.

The 30-year history of the general situation in Khorug indicates that the leaders of the organized criminal groups of Khorug, Rushon, and Roshtkala were repeatedly amnestied by the government for committing especially serious crimes, but they did not draw proper conclusions and continued their heinous actions.

Each action of organized criminal groups causes serious financial, moral and psychological damage to the economy and the standard of living of the inhabitants of Badakhshon, and sets back the development of the region for decades. According to preliminary estimates, in the last five years, the economic damage has amounted to 96 million somoni.

As a result of the effective and purposeful work of the Interdepartmental Staff for Security and Public Order in GBAO, the illegal and anti-government activities of the leaders of organized criminal groups in the cities and districts of the region, including Khorug, Roshtkala, and Rushon have been completely suppressed.

During the operational-search activities carried out by law enforcement officers in coordination and close contact with residents, all 12 leaders of organized criminal groups have been detained, imprisoned, and the leaders of irreconcilable armed formations have been neutralized.

Just last month, as a result of the activities of the Interdepartmental Staff, authorities have confiscated from ten criminal terrorist groups 16 Kalashnikov machine guns, 114 Kalashnikov assault rifles, 4 sniper rifles (SVD), 28 Makarov pistols, 1 TT pistol, 2 traumatic pistols, 9 grenade launchers, 101 grenade launcher shells with 6 charges, 4 RPG charges, 22 GRAD shells, 2 mortars, 19 mortar shells, 2 rounds from an anti-tank grenade launcher, 88 hand grenades, 46 grenade fuses, 2 carbines, 64 hunting rifles, 12 electric detonators, 200 kilograms of explosives, 22,718 cartridges of various calibers, a tape from a Kalashnikov machine gun, a DShK shell, 330 magazines from AK, a pistol, 5 kg 420 grams of ammonal explosive, 2 automatic shutters, 5 generators, 159 shells VOG-25, 15 bayonet-knives, 11 canisters, 12 anti-personnel mines, 29 kg of aluminum powder for the manufacture of explosives, 11 kg of 635 grams of TNT, 11,221 cartridges of various calibers, a Combat optical sight, 3 Olympus and Newcon binoculars, 245 homemade Molotov cocktails, 29 radio sets, 13 radio sets chargers, 16 radio sets batteries, 11 radios, 12 Surayo satellite phones, 2 iron boxes from PK, 12 military cases, 4 shell cases, 21 military uniforms, a Busol tripod, and 200 kg of the narcotic substance «Afghan opium.»

During the special operation, a total of 220 people have been detained, criminal cases have been initiated against 53 people, and 16 people who showed armed resistance have been neutralized.

In continuation of the operational-search activities, the criminal and financial base of the organized criminal groups have been completely liquidated, 39 different vehicles, including Nissan, Lexus, Range Rover, Toyota Camry, Mercedes, BMW, and other expensive foreign cars and trucks have been confiscated from members and leaders of the organized criminal groups.

The issue of combating criminal terrorist groups is in fact a struggle for the preservation of identity, the protection of the stability of statehood and the future of each nation.

Terrorist movements and organizations are considered modern dangers and threats to national stability. They create serious obstacles to the prospects and stable development of the modern Tajik statehood. Trade, use, smuggling of weapons and drugs have been part of the anti-state activities of organized criminal groups in Khorug for 30 years.

Today, some short-sighted individuals who support criminals shamelessly lie, slander the anti-terrorist operations of law enforcement agencies in Rushon and Khorug, fighting against organized criminal groups that have taken people hostage for 30 years, that have destabilized the situation in the city and district, planned and carried out regular terrorist attacks, killings and riots, and fabricated lies against law enforcement agencies responsible for ensuring security and public order.

Check out the latest report on drug trafficking and the distribution of weapons and ammunition collected by organized criminal groups in Khorug that have been used for full-scale fighting, and draw the appropriate conclusions.

The population should know that these criminal groups are not themselves ardent defenders of religion, and so to speak, do not work for the interests of the people.

They misled the simple-hearted people and used them as a tool to fulfill their personal ambitions. It was these leaders of the organized criminal groups who covered themselves with religion and concession as a shield, hid a large fortune obtained without much difficulty by committing hundreds of crimes.

They incited the people to riot and resist state institutions. They misled the youth and created an atmosphere of hatred in society.
Thus, the Interdepartmental Staff officially announces that the activities of organized terrorist groups on the territory of Badakhshon have been completely suppressed.

It should be noted that the country’s law enforcement agencies have all the necessary potential for a timely and merciless fight against any negative phenomena that undermines the state system, especially terrorist acts and organized criminal groups.”