5 Tajik govt troops killed, one wounded in clashes with militants.

4/10 Tass 52

DUSHANBE, October 4 (Itar-Tass) - Five Tajik law-enforcement personnel
have been killed and one has been wounded in clashes with militants in the
east of the country since Sunday, the Asia Plus independent news agency
reported.
The casualties are personnel of special task force police from
Tajikistan's southern Khatlon district. The government forces and the
militants clashed in the remote Kamarob Gorge in the Rasht district, 300
kilometers east of Dushanbe, the agency said on Monday
No law-enforcement body of Tajikistan has confirmed the report so far.
The government troops began a large anti-terrorist operation in the
east of the country after a military convoy came under machine-gun and
grenade launcher fire in the Kamarob Gorge, in which 26 servicemen were
killed and more than ten were wounded.
The anti-terrorist operation is led by Secretary of Tajikistan's
Security Council Amirkul Azimov.
The Rasht zone is cut off from mobile or fixed-line communication, and
government forces put up checkpoints as close as 30 kilometers from
Dushanbe.
Earlier, Tajik secret services urged the local population to supply
information leading to the dangerous criminals who fled a remand prison in
August, promising a large reward depending on the value of information.
Overnight to August 23, 25 inmates escaped from a remand prison in
Dushanbe, vaunted as the tightest security facility.
They included hardened criminals, including members of the armed group
arrested in the summer 2009. There were six Russian citizens among them,
convicted for participation in an illegal paramilitary formation.
According to Tajik secret services, the armed units led by former
field commanders (who fought against government forces in 1992-1997) were
behind the attack.
The eastern region of Tajikistan was the stronghold of the Opposition
during the Civil War, and has remained the main source of instability
since.
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