DUSHANBE. Sept 20 (Interfax) - Twenty-three servicemen were killed in a terror attack in eastern Tajikistan, among them several Defense Ministry and National Guard officers, Tajik Defense Ministry spokesman Faridun Makhmadaliyev told Interfax on Monday.
"A Defense Ministry convoy came under terror attack in Kamarob Gorge of the Rasht district at 12:30 p.m. (11:30 a.m., Moscow time) on September 19. Twenty-three servicemen were killed, among them several Defense Ministry and National Guard officers," he said.
The terror attack was carried out by gunmen, connected with former field commanders Abdullo Rakhimov, also known as Mullo Abdullo, and Allovidin Davlatov. They are mercenaries from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Chechnya, who are using the holy religion of Islam as a cover to for their plan to turn Tajikistan into an arena of internal wars," Makhmadaliyev said.