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Armed Afghans poach trees in Tajikistan
by Scott Gilbreath ~ April 19th, 2009
Strange goings-on in a remote and mountainous area of Central Asia. Afghan robbers are reportedly crossing the Tajikistan frontier to rustle trees.
Tajiks living near the Afghan border are concerned about a recent increase in robberies, and claim that trespassing Afghans are to blame, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reports.
In the latest incident, in the village of Porshev in Badakhshan region, resident Saidmirzo Ibrohimbekov reported that he frightened away a would-be thief who was trying to steal saplings from his back yard. Ten minutes later, Ibrohimbekov said, a group of men toting machine guns and speaking in Dari with Afghan accents returned to the yard and absconded with the young trees.
Police in the village confirmed that the number of robberies in the region has increased in recent months, but they said that no suspects have been apprehended.
The photo of the Tajik-Afghan border posted at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty shows a concrete bridge across a river, barbed wire, and lots of dirt—but not one tree in sight.
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