Tajikistan
The political and military situation in Tajikistan is unstable. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, sporadic border disputes have occurred between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan over shared land resources and border posts.1 The countries have continued to engage in armed conflict,2 and tensions persist – particularly in the eastern region of Gorno-Badakhshan. Due to these clashes, safe and secure ammunition management processes must be implemented on a national scale. Certain areas along the country's border with Afghanistan remain contaminated with mines and need to be cleared.2
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) are working on the ground to support the through-life management of ammunition, in collaboration with the Tajik Ministry of Defence. Efforts have included facilitating the destruction of small arms, light weapons and ammunition, as well as the clearance of unexploded ordnance; providing training for Tajik armed forces on the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATG); refurbishing and providing security upgrades to ammunition storehouses; and providing security equipment for ammunition management.3
1 Gavin Helf, “Border Clash between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan Risks Spinning out of Control,” United States Institute of Peace, May 4, 2021, https://www.usip.org/publications/2021/05/border-clash-between-kyrgyzstan-and-tajikistan-risks-spinning-out-control.
2 “Tajikistan Mine Action,” Landmine & Cluster Munition Monitor, accessed June 21, 2022, http://www.the-monitor.org/en-gb/reports/2019/tajikistan/mine-action.aspx.
3 “Tajikistan,” Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts Project (RULAC), Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, updated October 4, 2022, https://www.rulac.org/browse/countries/tajikistan.
4 “Ammunition Management Activity Platform (A-MAP),” GICHD, 2022, https://a-map.gichd.org.
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Further information
Accidental explosions
Since the Small Arms Survey began collecting data in 1979, one accidental explosion has been reported in Tajikistan.
Table 1. Accidental explosions in Tajikistan (1979–2021)
Year | Location | Owner/manager | Deaths | Injuries |
2009 | Kulob | N/A | 0 | 6 |
Source: “Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Sites (UEMS) Database,” Small Arms Survey, updated December 15, 2021, https://smallarmssurvey.org/database/unplanned-explosions-munitions-sites-uems.
Cases of diversion
Insufficient information on cases of diversion in Tajikistan.
Disposal
Insufficient information on the disposal of ammunition in Tajikistan.
Needs
No needs have been reported for Tajikistan.
Source: Tajikistan, National Report on the Implementation of the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PoA) and the International Tracing Instrument (ITI) (New York: Permanent Mission of Tajikistan to the UN, 2003), https://unoda-poa.s3.amazonaws.com/poa-reports-le/2003%40189%40Tajikistan-english.pdf.
