Tajikistan: Islamic State plot foiled in Dushanbe

Event

On Tuesday, November 13, Tajiki intelligence officials confirmed an Islamic State (IS) plot was foiled in Dushanbe. Police reportedly arrested 12 IS supporters who planned to detonate explosives at a school and attack the Russian 201st Military Base in the capital.

Context

Tajikistan has faced increasing militancy from alleged IS supporters in recent months. IS claimed responsibility for an attack that killed four foreign cyclists in Danghara district (Khatlon province) in July. The group also claimed its militants jailed at a prison in Khujand (Sughd province) reportedly started a deadly riot which killed at least 50 inmates on November 7.

Advice

Individuals in Tajikistan are advised to report any suspicious objects or behavior. Generally speaking, travelers are advised to avoid the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), a restricted zone along the border with Afghanistan which requires a special government permit for entry.