DUSHANBE, December 16, 2014, Asia-Plus -- A former influential field commander in the Popular Front of Tajikistan (PFT), a paramilitary group that supported the government during the five-year civil war (1992-1997), Suhrob Qosimov died in Dushanbe today morning, aged 53 after a long illness.

An official source at the Ministry of Interior (MoI) says Qosimov will be buried at one of Dushanbe’s cemeteries today. 

Former warlord, the Interior Ministry’s Special Force Brigade commander, Major-General Suhrob Qosimov resigned in March 2007.  He had been commander of that Brigade for 15 years.

Qosimov had also been the head of Tajikistan’s Football Federation (TFF) for ten years.  The eldest son of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon was named as the head of the TFF on January 5, 2012.  Rustam Emomali was nominated for the position in December 2011.  A panel tasked with selecting a president for the country''s football federation voted unanimously for Rustam Emomali.  Qosimov reportedly declined to run for the position for another term but was named an “honorary” president of Tajikistan''s Football Federation.