TAJIK TROOPS RUSH TO TURSUNZADE.

The Tajik government has rushed troop reinforcements to the western city of Tursun-Zade after two rival armed groups clashed there August 19 for the third time in the space of ten days, adding new dead and wounded to earlier casualties. A special governmental commission comprised of a first deputy prime minister, deputy ministers of state security and internal affairs, the commander of the presidential guard, and presidential staff members has since the first clash been at work in Tursun-Zade in an effort to persuade both rival groups to turn their arms over to the central government. Dushanbe officials yesterday noted with concern that former warlord and mayor of Tursun-Zade, Ibod Baimatov, is undertaking his own mediation in an effort to bring the two groups with their arms under his control. (Interfax, Itar-Tass, August 20)

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