DUSHANBE, May 8, 2015, Asia-Plus -- This year, the spring conscription campaign target has been fulfilled ahead of schedule.

“This year, the spring conscription campaign target was fulfilled in 37 days,” Faridoun Mahmadaliyev, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense (MoD), told Asia-Plus in an interview.

We will recall that President Emomali Rahmon signed a decree on drafting young Tajiks into the country’s armed forces from April through May 2015 on March 12.

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.

According to the data from the Ministry of Defense, every year, some 15,000-16,000 young Tajik men are drafted into the country’s armed forces.  The two-month-long effort seeking to enlist young men aged 18-27 for the two-year compulsory military service takes place twice a year, in the spring and in the autumn.

Some sources say more than 600,000 young men in Tajikistan are eligible for military service, but some 150,000 of them have received draft deferments or are exempted from the military service and approximately 100,000 other conscript-age young Tajiks are outside the country in search of a living.

Young Tajiks can avoid or postpone military service if they are ill, studying at university, an only son, or if they have two children.