DUSHANBE, October 9, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Tajikistan has reached 41 percent of the target of the autumn conscription campaign to this date, Faridoun Mahmadaliyev, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense (MoD), said in an interview with Asia-Plus today.

According to him, the city of Norak, the Shugnan, Rushan, Ishakim and Murgab districts in Gorno Badakhshan and the Zafarobod district in Sughd province have already fulfilled their autumn conscription targets.

“Compared to the previous conscription campaigns, the number of young men volunteering for the army has increased,” Mahmadaliyev said. 

We will recall that this year, President Emomali Rahmon signed a decree on drafting young Tajiks into the country’s armed forces from October through November 2009 on September 10.  The draft affects able-bodied male citizens in the age bracket of 18 years old to 27 years old, who are not members of the armed forces reserve. The same decree provides for the retirement from active duty of soldiers and sergeants whose service under conscription is over.