Possible Uzbek involvement in Tajikistan bombings

Published: 10/5/1999

There have been reports of unidentified aircraft bombing villages in eastern Tajikistan over the past weekend, according to the Tajikistan Ministry of Interior. The villages in the Tajikabad region, on the border with Kyrgystan, were subject to two raids by single aircraft, according to the ministry, with no casualties. Tajik government officials suspect that the aircraft were from Uzbekistan, following similar raids in support of the Kyrgyz authorities against Islamic rebels in the south of Kyrygstan, resulting in the deaths of a number of Kyrgyz villagers. Although air support to Kyrygstan has now been withdrawn, the Uzbeks remain concerned about the Islamic rebels in the region and the movement of certain groups across southern Kyrgystan from Tajikistan to Uzbekistan. They have accused the Tajiks of supporting the rebel groups

Article ID: 942