GBAO/Pamirs are now closed to travelers

[Christian77]

Yesterday the police and military put down a demonstration violently in Khorugh (the center/capital of the GBAO region).


Vehicles are stopped from entering the region. At the moment this includes even locals who were blocked by soldiers near the airport outside of Khorugh. I'm sure this means no foreigners will get past the GBAO checkpoint near Kulob (west) or through the border crossing to Osh (north). Information will be throttled heavily as internet is down (and with contradictory anecdotes about phone lines).

Local media has been banned from reporting under threat of imprisonment: https://asiaplustj.info/en/news/tajikis ... ous-region

Asia-Plus Media Group is forced to stop publishing news about events taking place in the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) of Tajikistan. The situation in GBAO’s capital, Khorog, has escalated again – on the evening of May 16, representatives of local population tried to go to the building of the regional administration but law enforcement officers blocked their paths. As a result, one person was killed and three others were wounded. Unfortunately, we cannot fully cover these events under the threat of closure. Asia-Plus had earlier received an official warning from the Prosecutor-General’s Office and unofficial warning from other government agencies that our publication covers events in the GBAO “unilaterally” and “destabilizes the situation in the country.” Asia-Plus was ordered to “eliminate these shortcomings”, otherwise, our publication is threatened with closure. Taking into the consideration this fact, our editors have decided to refrain for now from reporting events in the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region. We apologize to our readers!

American-supported media (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's local outlet) is using their protected status to continue reporting. https://www.ozodi.org/a/31854961.html The article has some google translate problems and says that "militants" stopping vehicles from driving to Khorugh. It should be "soldiers" instead. The accompanying video mentions (in Tajik) that drivers were stopped outside Khorugh and not being allowed to enter, which for sure means nobody (foreign) is getting past the first GBAO checkpoint near Kulob (western entrance to Pamirs), via Tavildara or through the Kyrgyzstan border crossing.

RFE/RL has a less detailed article in English: https://www.rferl.org/a/tajikistan-prot ... 54157.html

Anyways... how long this lasts is anybody's guess. I have no idea. Based on past events the closure could be anywhere from weeks long to over a year.

[Christian77]

Re: the "protected status" of American-supported media... Never mind, the government seems like they don't care about that anymore. Government plain-clothes officers attacked journalists (Radio Free Liberty and Current Time journalists) and stole their equipment and phones in Dushanbe. https://www.currenttime.tv/a/v-dushanbe ... 54597.html

If the media stops covering what's happening in the Pamirs, then check out the news summary feeds by Roof-top Info: https://wechange.de/project/roof-top-info/

At the moment it is clear that things are happening very quickly and the news media has a significant delay in reporting. Twitter is the best place if you are looking for up-to-date info (for example, someone tweeted that a fews hours ago the people of Rushon came out in big numbers to block the road to military/police reinforcements).

[Christian77]

After a quick one-day battle in Rushon/Vomar, government military reinforcements have unblocked the road to Khorugh and are advancing.

So, yes, your Pamir Highway plans are cancelled.

[couchpotato]

After a quick one-day battle in Rushon/Vomar, government military reinforcements have unblocked the road to Khorugh and are advancing.

So, yes, your Pamir Highway plans are cancelled.

Okay, it is what it is. Traveling can be done later.

I hope the conflict there will be resolved with minimum loss of life. And the people of Pamirs will have a peaceful life soon.

[Andyc19]

Hi,

We have just arrived in Kulob having left Khorog on the morning of the 16th and Rushon on the 17th. There was a military announcement at 7pm on the 16th and internet shut off shortly afterwards.

There is a significant movement of military along the road today, with tanks moving from north of Khali Khum towards Khorog.

Locals in Khali Khum have confirmed that Khorog is closed. We met some tourists at the checkpoint near Vanj on the 16th heading towards Khorog, who were allowed through, but suspect they didn’t make it beyond the Rushon checkpoint.

The army have let us leave the area with the standard checks. We know of a number of tourists who were in Khorog and further east so it’s unclear how they will get back to Dushanbe at this stage.

[couchpotato]

The phone line has been blocked as well.

[Johannes S.]

Roads are open again, and tourists can pass. I spoke to some guides today who were passing with tourists. I stay in Dushanbe. The officials still say it is not safe because of fights with narcotic traffic groups. Although situation calmed down. Neither religious nor any other political reasons for conflicts, according to embassy and ministry of internal affairs in Dushanbe. Military was attacked in Rushan when they were about to pass on to Khorog. Thats were the shooting must have happened with about 12 people killed.

[Christian77]

For any travelers not familiar with this area, let me comment on the government-sourced statements above... There are no fights with narcotics trafficking groups. These groups are overwhelming inside government structures and wearing uniforms, or cooperating directly with the government (this isn't like some Mexican cartel war). You have zero worries about drug gang violence. And to say there is no religious or political reasons for conflict ignores everything that has happened since 1992 (Sunni Muslim areas of GBAO like Murghob, Vanj, Darvoz and Yazghulom are not being targeted for government repression, only Ismaili Shia areas). And the military was not attacked in Rushan. A peaceful demonstration was held on the road to protect Khorugh, blocking all traffic. The military fired on this crowd first, killing up to 40 people (and one government soldier was killed in return after the shooting started).

Anyways... I am surprised that the region is open already to tourists. I encourage travelers who choose to go to spend time with locals, to get to know them, and to ask THEM what they think is happening to them in their region. Let these people speak for themselves, not some government official in Dushanbe.

[couchpotato]

I know EU, UN and AKF(Aga Khan Foundation) appeal for calm and dialogue from all sides to reduce tension in the region. However Tajikistan is Russia's backyard. EU and US have very little leverage there.

I'm surprised they open GBAO so soon. However mass arrest will likely follow the coming days, and continue oppression of the people of Pamirs get worse. Typical reaction of an authoritarian regime is to crush anyone dares to step out the line. The Pamirs people doesn't want independence. They only want not to be treated like second class citizen.

[Christian77]

It may be open. Tourists may be entering the region. But I am watching a one-way gun fight on the streets of Khorugh via CCTV. It's maybe 12 hours old.



This is in the center. Not sure if you want to be standing around behind their target (someone who refused to get out of their car and tried to drive off).