20 people detained in Tajikistan on suspicion of terrorism

The investigation believes that they were preparing a terrorist attack during the Navruz celebration in Dushanbe.

According to Radio Ozodi, citing its sources, employees of the State National Security Committee of Tajikistan detained about 20 people on suspicion of preparing a terrorist attack during the festive events in the capital. Among those detained are several residents of the cities of Vahdat, Rogun, and Nurek, including minors. All of them were detained in the lead-up to Navruz.

Security forces claim that the group’s goal was “to carry out a terrorist attack at a mass event on the occasion of Navruz in Dushanbe, in order to achieve as many casualties as possible.”

It is reported that the main celebration was supposed to take place on March 24, but due to the information received, it was postponed to March 25.

“Upon receiving information about the planned terrorist attack, special forces of the State National Security Committee and the Ministry of Internal Affairs monitored ‘Independence Square’ in the capital. After the suspects were detained and the danger passed, the event took place,” a source told Radio Ozodi.

Currently, the case is being investigated by investigators from the State National Security Committee and the General Prosecutor’s Office. They are determining whether the detainees were in any way connected to the main figures in the case of the terrorist attack at the Moscow ‘Crocus City Hall.’

Earlier, Asia-Plus, citing a source in the security agencies of Tajikistan, as well as the news agency Reuters, reported that employees of the State National Security Committee of Tajikistan detained at least 9 residents of Vahdat for connections with suspects in the terrorist attack at ‘Crocus City Hall’ in Moscow on March 22 and the ISIS group.

It is reported that all of them were detained by employees of the State National Security Committee of Tajikistan with the assistance of Russian security forces in the city of Vahdat and brought to Dushanbe.

The authorities of Tajikistan have not yet commented on the detentions in Tajikistan and have not published the names of those detained.