Uzbekistan: Prosecutor’s Office representative confirmed the fact of the attack, targeted at the checkpoint in Andijan Oblast
In the interview to Ozodlik (Uzbek service of Liberty Radio) radio Svetlana Artykova, the press-secretary of General Prosecutor’s Office in Uzbekistan, informed that in the night of May 25 there was armed attack, targeted at the checkpoint in the city of Khanabad, the Andijan Oblast of Uzbekistan.
- It was a criminal act. Unknown people organized the armed raid against the checkpoint. We have filed the criminal case and established the task force on identifying the criminals. The situation remains stable at the moment – the press-secretary of General Prosecutor’s Office of Uzbekistan said.
According to Svetlana Artykova, there are no people injured or killed. She refused to announce the preliminary version of the investigation with the purpose of "protecting human rights, keeping stability in Uzbekistan and non-interference in investigation process".
In the telephone interview the residents of Andijan informed Ozodlik Radio correspondents that, today, additional security measures are taken in the oblast. In the morning of May 26 the military hardware arrived in new bazaar of Andijan. The checkpoints between the districts were also intensified.
The sources of Ferghana.Ru report that in the late night of Monday (between 11 pm and 12 pm, local time) unknown people attempted to capture Regional Department of Internal Affairs (RDIA) building in the city of Khanabad. There about 20 attackers, armed by automatic rifle. The local residents inform about at least four injured in the fight of unknown people with special service agents.
Interax reports with the reference to the source in the law enforcement bodies of Tashkent that, according to preliminary information, the attack at the special service department of Uzbekistan and municipal department of internal affairs in the city of Khanabad was committed by the militants of Islamic movement of Uzbekistan that were able to hide after the incident.
The interviewee of the agency added that both authorities are located in the same building. He mentioned that there were about 5 attackers, but not 20 as it was announced earlier.