In Sughd region, the murder of two families – Tajiks and ethnic Kyrgyz – is under investigation

The law enforcement agencies of Sughd region are investigating the murder of six members of two families – Tajiks and ethnic Kyrgyz, which has shocked the public.

On the night of May 28 to 29, 2024, six members of two families were killed in the village of Sandzhidzor in the city of Kanibadam. One family of the victims was Tajik, while the other was Kyrgyz. There is no official information about this crime.

In the last three months alone, police reports have mentioned the murder of at least four families in the city of Kanibadam. In all cases, the motive for the murders remains unclear, and the criminals are still at large.

According to information from Radio Ozodi, the Tajik family consisted of three people – 38-year-old Mahbuba Akhmedova and her two minor children – 17-year-old Nozanin and 14-year-old Damir.

Relatives of this family stated that there were signs of violent death on their bodies. Mahbuba Akhmedova worked as a nurse at a rural hospital, and her children were school students. Mahbuba’s husband, Bahodur Akhmedov, was working in Russia at the time of the murder.

The Kyrgyz family also consisted of three people – 54-year-old Zulho Ibrokhimova, her 47-year-old brother Abdufattoh, and 46-year-old Kurbongul. On the night of the murder, three children of Abdufattoh and Kurbongul Ibrokhimova were also present, and they survived.

According to villagers, most of the relatives of this family live in Kyrgyzstan. Zulho Ibrokhimova worked as the deputy director of a school in the village of Sandzhidzor. This school mainly serves the children of ethnic Kyrgyz.

Law enforcement agencies have not yet made an official statement regarding this incident. Residents of the village and some relatives informally reported that money and property were missing from the homes of the victims. Radio Ozodi has sent a written inquiry to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan regarding these facts.

Previously, several people were killed under unclear circumstances in other neighborhoods of Kanibadam. It is unknown whether these murders are linked as part of a single chain and the work of one group or if they are completely separate crimes.