DUSHANBE, July 21, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Investigation into murder of special police unit commander Oleg Zakharchenko has been resumed, Minister of Interiors, Abdurahim Qahhorov, stated at news conference in Dushanbe today.

“Skilled officers from the Ministry of Interior are involved in the investigation,” the minister added.

We will recall that a deadly attack on a special police unit took place in Rasht district, eastern Tajikistan on February 2, 2008.

The special police unit was attacked after it was dispatched to the Rasht district headquarters of the regional body empowered to combat organized crime.  The police unit was fired upon by gunmen loyal to the chief of the regional body for combating organized crime in Rasht Valley, Mirzokouja Ahmadov.  The 40-year old commander of the unit was the only person killed, although four policemen sustained injuries in the shoot-out.

The reason for sending the special police unit to the Rasht district and the cause of the shoot-out still remain unclear.