From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Mon Aug 14 2000 - 11:51:40 EDT
ISLAMIC FIGHTERS IN KYRGYZSTAN SAID INTENDING TO DESTABILIZE CENTRAL
ASIA
BISHKEK. Aug 14 (Interfax) - The goal of the Islamic Movement of
Uzbekistan fighters who have invaded Kyrgyzstan is the destabilization
of all of Central Asia, presidential press secretary Osmonakul Ibraimov
said at a Monday news briefing in Bishkek.
Most of the current fighting is now going on in the vicinity of the
Turo mountain pass at an altitude of around 4,000 meters in the Batken
region bordering on Tajikistan.
Over 30 international terrorists have been killed, Ibraimov said.
There are ethnic Uzbeks and Tajiks among the terrorists, while others
have come from outside Central Asia, Ibraimov said. The government
troops have already captured some very advanced weapons, he added.
The funeral ceremonies for nine government servicemen will be
conducted in the capital Bishkek on Monday. Military sources say that
the government units have lost more than 20 men killed since August 11,
among them a major, a captain and two lieutenants from special Defense
Ministry units. The fighting at the Kyrgyz-Tajik border has become
positional, with enemy sharpshooters firing at government units.
Over 1,000 fighters are believed to have invaded Kyrgyzstan,
Uzbekistan and Tajikistan from Afghanistan. They are said by unofficial
sources to also have aircraft at their disposal. Their commander
Dzhumbai Namangani is said to be concentrating his forces in Tajikistan
near the republic's borders with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
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