Military wing of the opposition in Tajikistan? (audio)

Andrei Serenko stated that “the Tajik opposition intends to use not only political but also military methods to achieve its goals.”

Photo: Internet

Russian journalist Andrei Serenko reported on May 6 in his Telegram channel that a military wing of the opposition has already been formed in Tajikistan to overthrow President Emomali Rahmon’s regime.

“The decision to switch to military methods was made on May 4 by a group of opposition supporters who understand the ineffectiveness and insufficient efficiency of purely political methods of struggle,” said a representative of the military wing of the opposition, who asked to be called Umar, in a conversation with Serenko.

The Russian journalist did not name any specific opposition group or movement. According to the source, “principled agreements have already been reached on cooperation between some former commanders of the United Tajik Opposition and the People’s Front, who recognize the need for systemic changes in Tajikistan.”

Serenko writes that a political declaration and program of the military wing of the Tajik opposition will be made public by the end of May.

Some experts believe that the news disseminated by Russian journalist Andrei Serenko is a “fake” and the work of Tajik security services or foreign forces.

The leader of the National Alliance of Tajikistan (NAT), Mukhdidin Kabiri, believes that “the formation of a military wing of the Tajik opposition in Tajikistan” is a natural process, not the work of Tajik security services or foreign forces. The NAT leader stated that sooner or later such reports were bound to emerge, as several factors could have provoked such a development:

Kabiri stated that among the youth, fighters against the regime, opposition forces, and even those who have previously opposed the use of weapons, some have concluded that henceforth only political, informational, and diplomatic struggle against Rahmon’s regime will not yield the desired results.

“Just a few years ago, most representatives of Tajik political forces, including the PIVT, rejected the idea of using force and weapons in Tajikistan, but after the events in Ukraine, the world has changed,” said the opposition leader.

Kabiri emphasized that after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, most opposition forces changed their views, and in some circles the question arises: “Why do Russians and Ukrainians use weapons to achieve their freedom, honor, and human dignity, while Tajiks are not allowed to use it? And why is it that only one side, namely Rahmon’s dictatorial regime, can use weapons and force whenever and however it wants, while the people against it are completely disarmed, weak, and insignificant?”

Mukhdidin Kabiri emphasized that “we want to continue the struggle peacefully, but the Tajik opposition is not only NAT.”

Some independent experts believe that the opposition forces no longer possess military capabilities after the peace agreement of 1997. The government has also been calm about this. However, after the Taliban came to power, the separation of the ISIS group and “Jamaat Ansarullah,” most of whose members are citizens of Tajikistan, has become very active, which has seriously concerned Rahmon’s government.