DUSHANBE, October 13, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- By October 13, Tajikistan ahs reached 54 percent of the autumn conscription target, Faridoun Mahmadaliyev, a chief spokesman for the Ministry of Defense (MoD), told Asia-Plus today.

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

The autumn conscription campaign is launched in Tajikistan on October 1 and runs through November 30.  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.  Tajikistan’s law on military service provides an exemption from military service for a certain categories of citizens.