By May 1, Tajikistan has reached 75 percent of the spring conscription campaign target, Faridoun Mahmadalizoda, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense (MoD), said.

In the territorial cross section the percentage the target reached was: the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) – 65 percent; Khatlon – 76 percent; Sughd – 77 percent; districts subordinate to the center (RRPs) – 63 percent; and Dushanbe – 77 percent.

Meanwhile, seven districts have already fulfilled their conscription target, the spokesman said.

The spring conscription campaign is carried out from April 1 through May, and 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.

According to the Ministry of Defense (MoD), 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 some 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.

Tajikistan’s armed forces consist of Ground Forces, Mobile Forces (paratroopers of the armed forces of Tajikistan), Air Force and Air Defense Force.

Recall, Tajikistan ranks 112th out of a total of 127 countries worldwide in terms of military strength in the 2017 Global Firepower (GFP) list.

The ranking is based on more than 50 factors, including military budget, available manpower, and the amount of military hardware each country has in its arsenal.  The nuclear capability is not taken into account.  The higher the rating, the lower the country’s position in the overall ranking.  The perfect score would be 0.000.

With its rating of 2.4301, Tajikistan is one position below Slovenia (2.3919) and one rung above Nicaragua (2.4391).

Tajikistan available manpower is put at 4.035 million out of total population of 8,330,946, with 3.2 million fit for service.  Active frontline personnel are 6,000, according to GFP list.

Tajikistan reportedly has 37 tanks, 46 armored fighting vehicles, 10 towed artillery guns, and 3 multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRSs).  The country’s Air Force has 25 transport aircraft, 4 trainer aircraft, 20 helicopters, and 6 attack helicopters.

Tajikistan’s defense budget for 2017 reportedly stands at 75 million U.S. dollars.