TAJIK GOVERNMENT FORCES CRUMBLING.

Russian commandersin Tajikistan charged July 4 that the Tajik government had failedto enforce the country’s military draft or to prevent more than1,000 Tajik soldiers from deserting in recent months, Interfaxreported July 4. Meanwhile, Mazari Shodyev, commander of a resistanceunit in Tajikistan’s Garm region, was killed in a fight withgovernment forces, Tajikistan’s Interior Ministry announced via Moscow media July 3. According to the ministry, Shodyev’s unithad inflicted many casualties on Russian and Tajik governmenttroops.

Tashkent Pushes Central Asian Integration.