DUSHANBE, February 27, Asia-Plus  -- A regional prosecutor’s office in Gorno Badakhshan has launched investigation into a February 23 attack on the Khorog police department.  The investigation has been launched on charge of banditry.

We will recall that a high-ranking official with a MoI told Asia-plus on Monday that a group of armed persons fired at a building of the Khorog police department Saturday evening.  According to him, a group numbering seven persons, led by Mamadboqir Mamadboqirov, former commanders of one of frontier posts in the Murgab district, fired several times at the building of the Khorog police department.  They then burst into the building and beat one of duty officers, according to him.

A source at the GBAO prosecutor’s office said that criminal proceedings had been instituted against Mamadboqir Mamadboqirov, who faces charges under Article 186, Part 1of Tajikistan’s Criminal Code – banditry (organization of sustainable armed group for the purpose of attacking citizens or organizations as well as leading such group (gang).  

In the meantime, in accordance with ultimatum made by the GBAO police directorate yesterday, members of the armed formation of Mamadboqirov should have handed over their weapons by 3:00 p.m. today.  Tuesday evening, they voluntarily handed over 10 Kalashnikov to the Khorog police department.