From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Tue Aug 08 2000 - 10:31:00 EDT
UZBEK AUTHORITIES SAY BORDER-CROSSING EXTREMISTS SURROUNDED
TASHKENT. Aug 8 (Interfax) - The Tashkent authorities have
announced that a group of terrorists that crossed into Uzbekistan from
neighboring Tajikistan, have been surrounded by Uzbek government forces,
with some military, but no civilian casualties.
At a briefing in Tashkent on Tuesday, Uzbek Security Council chief
Mirakbar Rakhmankulov dismissed reports that the armed fighters have
seized control of the strategic mountain pass of Kamchik, linking
Tashkent and the Ferghana Valley.
"These reports are untrue," Rakhmankulov said, noting that this
mountain pass is of great strategic military importance for Uzbekistan
and is closely guarded.
Rakhmankulov also said that the situation is under control and the
fighters have been encircled. He also said that the government troops
have not allowed the bandits to break through the encirclement and that
the military operation is in its active phase and will shortly produce
results.
The Uzbek and Tajik law-enforcement agencies "are operating
together," Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov said Tuesday in
Tashkent. Civilians have not suffered, but there was loss of life among
the military, he said without elaboration.
Citing verified reports, Kamilov said that the fighters had been
trained in Afghanistan and crossed into Uzbekistan through Tajik
territory. "We have every reason to assert that some of the former
opposition leaders are rendering the bandits covert and open
assistance," he said.
Rakhmankulov also confirmed that there is evidence, including
intercepted radio traffic, suggesting that the bandits had been trained
in Afghanistan.
"It would be correct to talk about their slow penetration into the
Sariasiya district in the Surkhandarya region, not about a bandit
invasion," he said.
He also noted the local terrain is very difficult and the mountain
passes there are up to 4,000 meters in elevation. There are also many
gorges and natural caves that are being taken advantage of by the
bandits, he added.
This area is in the direct vicinity of the Tajik border and has
paths often used by drug couriers.
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