Operation to detain former field commanders underway in Tajikistan.

23/9 Tass 127

DUSHANBE, September 22 (Itar-Tass) -- Tajikistan's government forces
are engaged in a mopping-up operation in the Rasht region (former Garmsky
region) which has become of late a source of tension. A search for former
field commanders Shokhi Iskanderov and Mirzokhudzhi Akhmadov accused of
being involved in the local terrorist undergroud is also underway.
Iskanderov and Akhmadov escaped to the mountains from the pursuit of
secret services on Wednesday night, a source close to the headquarters for
the holding of the operation told ITAR-TASS on Thursday.
As the source recalled, on Wednesday afternoon five militants were
killed and one detained in the mopping-up operation in the centre of the
Rasht region.
After Aakhmadov's house was captured, police found a big amount of
weapons and homemade bombs there. Law enforcers believe that the seized
weapons were intended for holding acts of terrorism in the republic's
capital. It became known that exactly there one of leaders of the former
armed Tajik opposition Abdullo Rakhimov nicknamed Mullor Abdullo was
hiding there some time, and that Akhmadov's people were involved in the
September 19 attack on a military convoy of government forces.
At the same time, a search for another two commanders of the
irreconcilable opposition of Mullo Abdullo and Alovudin Davlatov is
underway.
-0-ast