Putin calls recent riots in Tajikistan destabilizing attempt

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a phone conservation with his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon that the recent riots in Tajikistan were an attempt to destabilize the country, Russian Channel One TV station reported Saturday.

Citing Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the TV station reported that the Russian leader described the riots in Tajikistan "an attempt to destabilize the internal situation in the country" and expressed his support to the Tajik leadership, the TV station said.

"Putin and Rahmon agreed to hold a separate meeting during the upcoming September 15 CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) summit in Dushanbe," the TV station added.

The CSTO is an intergovernmental military alliance bringing together six post-Soviet states, including Russia and Tajikistan.

Over 30 police officers and nine rebels were killed in Tajikistan early Friday in attacks by a terrorist group on the outskirts of the capital city of Dushanbe and in the town of Vahdat, some six miles (about 10 km) away from Dushanbe.

The terrorist group which had seized arms and ammunition was reportedly led by Major General Abduhalim Nazarzoda, the country's former deputy defence minister who had been dismissed for unspecified crimes.

Nazarzoda is said to be a member of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan which the government closed down last week.

Source: XINHUA