Hunt for the Sadirov gang
The Hunt for Rizvon Sadirov by both the Tajik government
forces and the United Tajik Opposition ended on March 28th.
During the operation 12 members of the Sadirov group were killed
and 20 captured including Bahrom Sadirov. Rizon Sadirov and his
remaining supporters are believed to be hiding in central Tajikistan.
The Sadirov brothers commanded a gang that held UN observers,
foreign aid workers and journalists hostage in two incidents in
December of '96 and February of '97.
Tajik Peace talks and cease fire
Peace talks between the Tajik government and the United Tajik Opposition (UTO) started April 10 in Tehran. The talks broke down on the first day when members of the UTO protested the arrest of some of their members in Moscow on charges of murdering Russian solders stationed in Tajkiistan. The talks resumed on April 16th as Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani met with both sides encouraging them to move toward a final peace. The talks broke off again on April 18th.
UN special envoy to Tajikistan Gerd Merrem said on
April 22 that there was a possibility that more UN military observers
and maybe even UN peacekeeping troops would be sent to Tajikistan.
The current cease fire has held now for over four months.
Prison takeover in Khujand
A prison in Khujand was taken over by more than 100
inmates who demanded trials for those not yet sentenced, hospitalization
for the seriously ill, and an end to prisoners being moved to
southern Tajikistan where prison conditions are worse. The prison
was designed to hold 300, but is currently holding 800. Tajik
security forces stormed the prison April 17 killing as many as
40 people.
The war in Afghanistan
Fighting in Afghanistan in the last two weeks of
April resulted in 100,000 refugees fleeing to areas near the Tajik
border. CIS border guards report an increase in the number of
attempts to cross the Tajik-Afghan border into Tajikistan.
Assassination attempt on President Rakhmonov
An assassination attempt was made on Tajik President Imomali Rakhmonov on April 30th while he was in Khujand to give a speach marking the 65th anniversary of the city's university. The president was wounded in the leg by a grenade that was thrown at him as he was walking to the theater where he was to give the speach. Two people were killed and 70 injured by the grenade. 20-year-old Firdaws Dostoboyev was arrested.
Forces from the Tajik Interior and Security ministries
tried to arrest a gang in connection with the assassination attempt
on the president. 5 of the gang members were killed and 12 were
taken into custody.