KHUJAND, August 15, Asia-Plus  -- Sughd rescue service has stopped an operation to search for victims of three traffic accidents that took place in the Ayni district on August 5, Khudoiberdi Qodirberdiyev, deputy head of the Sughd emergency management agency, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.   

            According to him, bodies of three victims have been found, while, 12 persons are reported missing.  “Search for those 12 persons was stopped because of impossibility of continuing the search operation in the tumultuous river,” Qodirberdiyev said, noting that they had reached an agreement with heads of jamoats located along the Zarafshon River that they will comb their areas in the morning and the evenings.   

We will recall that three traffic accidents occurred in the Ayni district during the period from 9:30 p.m. of August 5 to 1:30 a.m. of August 6 with an interval of several hours.  Fifteen persons, including at least three children, were killed and six other persons were injured in those accidents.  The accidents took place on the 197th kilometers of the Dushanbe-Khujand highway.  All three cars fell into the Fon-Daryo River.  According to the preliminary information, the accidents were caused by lack of attention of the drivers.