Russian troops not participate in special operation in Tajikistan

DUSHANBE, September 30 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian troops do not
participate in the combat actions of the Tajik governmental armed forces
in eastern Tajikistan, as Russia considers this dramatic situation to be
an inner affair of the republic, Russian Ambassador in Dushanbe Yuri Popov
told Itar-Tass in comments on some media reports "about Russian
helicopters appearing in the skies over the eastern Rasht district."
"All aircraft from the 201st military base and the task force of the
FSB Federal Border Service are deployed at the Russian airbase in the
Kyrgyz city Kant," the Russian diplomat said.
For his part, a high-ranking officer from the 201st Russian military
base pledged that "the Tajik troops have enough forces to solve their
domestic problems and do not need the assistance from the outside."
According to sources in the Tajik Defence Ministry, all Tajik armed
forces are involved in the anti-terrorist operation that is on in eastern
Tajikistan since September 22. The chief of the Tajik General Staff and
the first deputy defence minister, Ramil Nadyrov, is in command of the
operation. Secretary of the Tajik Security Council Amirkul Azimov is
staying in the operation zone.