Muhammadfazil Tashbaltaev, a 27-year old from Isfara in Soghd Province, activist of the banned radical Islamic movement, Ansarullah, and a member of the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan since 2009, was arrested for sending his 23-year old brother, Muhammadsalih to war in Syria against Bashar Assad’s regime.

According to the Ministry of Interior spokesperson, Jalaliddin Sadriddinov, Muhammadsalih, who left for Syria in 2013, was killed during the war by governmental forces of the country in January 2014 in Aleppo.

The Interior Ministry spokesperson noted: “The arrested, during his labor migration in Moscow, had established close ties with Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan members from Isfara – his eldest brother Muhammadkarim, Savriddin Juraev, Mansour Mahkamov, Ilyas Hamidov, Bahadur Babaev, as well as with the Ansarullah Emir in Moscow, Mirzamaruf Najmiddinov from Isfara, and made plans with them to overthrow secular regimes in the Central Asian states.”

He further said that “last year Muhammadfazil Tashbaltaev pledged allegiance to Ansarullah Emir, Najmiddinov, and as a sign of his allegiance sent his younger brother for jihad in Syria.”

Mr. Sadriddinov said: “Majority of the abovementioned Isfara residents are arrested as of now.”