Saymumin Yatimov. Photo: sputnik.tj
Authorities in Tajikistan have repatriated more than 4,000 students who were studying abroad, citing concerns that they could be recruited by international terrorist organizations. The announcement was made by Saymumin Yatimov, head of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS), as reported by TASS.
Speaking at the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Conference on Countering Terrorism and Extremism in Dushanbe, Yatimov did not specify the period over which the repatriations took place.
He emphasized that these students had become targets of indoctrination by terrorist groups and foreign religious educational institutions.
The SCNS chief also drew attention to ongoing security threats facing CIS member states originating from Syria. According to him, many individuals from Central Asian countries are active in extremist groups there, gaining combat experience in ongoing conflicts. In response, Tajikistan is taking decisive measures to counter these challenges and threats, Yatimov added.
He further noted that labor migrants remain among the most vulnerable groups to terrorist recruitment. Extremist cells, he said, are becoming more active in attempts to destabilize the situation in CIS countries.
“In recent years, international terrorist organizations have been forming sleeper cells across the region. Recruitment primarily targets labor migrants, the most vulnerable segment of the population, exploiting regional mentalities to spread radical ideologies and politicize Islam,” Yatimov explained.
The third CIS Conference on Countering Terrorism and Extremism in Dushanbe was organized by Tajikistan’s SCNS and the CIS Anti-Terrorism Center. The event brought together representatives from 11 CIS member states and countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), as well as international organizations, including the United Nations (UN) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Secretariat.
