KHUAND, July 23, 2014, Asia-Plus -- 110 Tajik nationals are fighting in Syria on the side of rebel forces, Suhrob Rustamov, the head of the Sughd Department for Religious Affairs, announced at a news conference in Khujand on July 23.

“Among them there are residents of Sughd province as well.  But their exact number is still unknown,” said Rustamov.  “We just can say that eight residents of the Taghoyak jamoat in the Spitamen district are fighting in Syria on the side of rebel forces; one of them has been killed.”

He added that Tajik authorities were taking measures to return them home.

According to Tajik authorities, four Tajik nationals have been killed in Syria, and six others have been arrested in Tajikistan upon their return from Syria.

We will recall that in December 2013, Tajikistan''s Supreme Court sentenced five of the country''s citizens to around two years in jail for fighting on the side of antigovernment forces in Syria.  The five were reportedly students at the Syrian International University who decided to join Syrian rebel forces.  All five were detained in October when they returned to Tajikistan.  Since Tajikistan does not have a law against “mercenaries,” the five were charged with “participation in a criminal group or in other armed groups.”

On May 22, the Tajik parliament approved an amendment to the Criminal Code stipulating punishment for Tajik nationals taking part in foreign armed conflicts.

Sughd chief prosecutor Sharif Qurbonzoda told reporters on July 7 that all Tajik citizens fighting in the ranks of rebel forces in Syria will be amnestied if they return to Tajikistan.  He called on Tajik militants in Syria to give up fighting and return home.  Qurbonzoda said that unless the young men from Tajikistan committed serious crimes and were members of extremist organizations, they will all be amnestied and assisted by the Tajik government to return to peaceful life in their homeland.