DUSHANBE, September 15, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- On Wednesday September 14, President Emomali Rahmon signed a decree on drafting young Tajiks into the country’s armed forces from October through November 2011, the presidential press service reported.

The draft affects able-bodied male citizens in the age bracket of 18 years old to 27 years old, who are not members of the armed forces reserve.  The same decree provides for the retirement from active duty of soldiers and sergeants whose service under conscription is over. 

“Taking into consideration the specific character of service in the border troops, the Ministry of Defense is to select conscripts for serving in the border troops in cooperation with the security and interior bodies,” said the source. “The Ministry of Health is tasked to provide specialists from medical facilities of Dushanbe to make medical examination of conscripts for the districts subordinate to the center.”