Tajik armed opposition leader killed in firefight with govt troops

During the civilian standoff in Tajikistan, Negmat Azizov was member of the combat wing of the united Tajikistani opposition (1992-1997), and after the signing in Moscow in June 1997 of the General Peace Agreement, he reintegrated into the government troops and headed one of units of the Emergencies Ministry stationed in the east of the republic. At the same time, the source said, in recent years the former gunman made up a criminal group from supporters of the former armed opposition that was engaged in drug trafficking and other criminal deeds. In May this year, Tajikistani security services launched an operation to neutralise this group. A number of clashes took place in which several people were killed on both sides, including former Emergencies Minister Mirzo Ziyeyev who headed during the civil war times the armed resistance to the government forces in this Pamirs region. During the operation, according to the leadership of the republic's Interior Ministry, five persons coming from the Northern Caucasus who are Russian citizens and members of the Azizov bandit group, were also detained. The chief of the armed opposition managed to escape before night came.

According to sources, "an investigation and search operation" is currently underway and "no particular of the operation are disclosed until it ends."

President Rakhmon, UTO leader Sayid Abdulloh Nuri, and Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General Gerd Merrem signed the "General Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and National Accord in Tajikistan" and the "Moscow Protocol" on 27 June 1997 in Moscow, Russia, ending the war, Kazinform cites Itar-Tass. See www.itar-tass.com for full version.