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Moratorium on military hostilities extended in Pamir region

Intensive talks are under way in Khorog in a bid to find a non-violent settlement to the conflict

Photo ITAR-TASS

Photo ITAR-TASS

DUSHANBE, July 25 (Itar-Tass) — The Tajik government forces resisting an illegal armed gang in the Pamir mountains have extended a moratorium on military hostilities until the end of the day, a source close to a special operation told Itar-Tass. Initially, the moratorium was supposed to expire at 14:00 local time (13:00 Moscow time).

“At present, intensive talks are under way in Khorog in a bid to find a non-violent settlement to the conflict and turn in people linked to the murder of Tajik security service General Abdullo Nazarov,” the source went on to say.

“The spiritual leaders of the local Ismaili community are taking part in the talks,” he added.

Most people in the Pamir are the followers of Ismailism, a branch of the Shiite trend in Islam.

Concurrently, Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov has ordered to set up a government commission to check information of the number of people killed in a special operation carried out by Tajik security forces on July 24.

Not a single Tajik ‘force’ agency or presidential service has given any comments on the events. All telephone lines, including the government’s communication with Khorog, remain blocked. All the leaders of Tajik law enforcement and security agencies are currently staying in Khorog, following the murder of General Abdullo Nazarov.

General Abdullo Nazarov was killed in a Khorog suburb last Saturday when he was returning from the Ishkhashim administrative center in his official car. A group of people blocked his way. They pulled the general out of the car, delivered several blows that were incompatible with life and escaped.

General Abdullo Nazarov was the chief of Tajik State National Security Committee department for the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province.

Investigators believe that the local tobacco mafia could be behind the general’s death.

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