Attempt of “armed coup” thwarted in Turkmenistan

Turkmen media reported an attempted armed coup in Ashgabat.

According to the Telegram channel Turkmen.news, in June, the security services of Turkmenistan thwarted an attempt at an armed coup. More than 20 people have been detained, mostly from the Mary region. Currently, all suspects are in custody.

It is noted that the armed conspiracy was organized by Batyr Meredov – the son of former Minister of Agriculture Payzigeldy Meredov, who was imprisoned for 19 years after the death of the country’s former president Saparmurat Niyazov and died in prison in August 2013. Batyr Meredov has also been arrested.

Also arrested is the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Turkmenistan, Akhmet Khodzhatov. Akhmet Khodzhatov was appointed to this position in December 2018. Prior to that, he served as the head of the police department of the Mary region.

According to available information, the organizers of the coup were delivering various types of weapons to Turkmenistan “in whole trucks.”

Recently, media reported a mass internet blockage in Turkmenistan. It is reported that the reason for the blockage is attempts to conceal information about the armed conspiracy.