Cease Fire – 1998

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Cease Fire – 1998

1998

Intermediate Implementation Intermediate implementation

In March, a clash between UTO fighters and an army unit led to a gunfight near Romit that killed 40 people. UNMOT and CNR officials restored the ceasefire on 25 March. More fighting took place between UTO elements and government forces on 29 April 1998 near Teppei-Samarkandi and Dushanbe. The main cause of the fighting was related to the arrest of three UTO members on criminal charges. UTO leaders maintained that the fighting was not endorsed by the UTO leadership. After the fighting, UNMOT worked closely with the Contact Group to diffuse the situation. A meeting took place between the government and UTO leaders on 2 May 1998, in which parties agreed to appoint Mr. Turajonzodah to lead a special commission to restore the ceasefire. The ceasefire was restored on 3 May.1

In September of 1998, Otakhon Latifi, a prominent UTO member of the CNR was assassinated outside his home.2

In October, 38 persons were detained for spoiler type violence and the abduction of the Deputy Mayor of Khujand. Interestingly, 15 were government servicemen and one was a Commander in the Ministry of Interior.3

  1. “Report of the Secretary-General on the Situation in Tajikistan,” United Nations, (S/1998/374), May 6, 1999.
  2. “Report of the Secretary-General on the Situation in Tajikistan,” United Nations, (S/1998/1029), November 3, 1998.
  3. Ibid.