Uzbekistan Security Chief, Others Fired Following Komil Allamjonov Assassination Attempt

Abdusalom Azizov

By Exec Edge Editorial Employees

Abdusalom Azizov, the top of Uzbekistan’s state safety equipment, was dismissed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev throughout an emergency cupboard assembly Friday evening in Tashkent, Radio Free Europe/Radio Libertyand Uzbekistan media are reporting. Quite a lot of different high-ranking authorities officers, together with Alijon Ashurov, the Head of the Inner Safety Unit of the State Safety Service, have been additionally dismissed for obstructing the investigation in a widening shake-up, RFE/RL is reporting.

The firing comes almost one month after the failed try on the lifetime of Komil Allamjonov, the president’s former press safety, who left the federal government in September. Because the assault, 4 suspects have been arrested, however a fifth has fled to South Korea, the place he has to date eluded Korean and Uzbek authorities.

Neither authorities has launched an replace on the investigation or provided a motive, elevating worldwide scrutiny and strain on Uzbekistan and South Korean authorities.

Uzbekistan-watchers are speculating that Azizov’s dismissal is related to the assassination try.

The try on Allamjonov’s life pulled again the curtain on the interconnected nature of the best ranges of Uzbek authorities and society, previous and current, as reporters have sought to untangle the Byzantine story.

In workplace, Allamjonov labored carefully with Saida Mirziyoyev, oldest daughter of the president and No. 2 within the authorities. Media reported on a rift between Allamjonov and Otabek Umarov, the president’s deputy head of safety and husband of his youthful daughter, Shahnoza.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is reporting that Umarov left Uzbekistan at the moment, although his motivations are unknown.

Following the assassination try, two gunman briefly sought refuge in an evening membership in jap Uzbekistan owned by the daughters of the late Vitaly Fen, Uzbekistan’s long-serving ambassador to South Korea, who died in June. The fifth suspect within the assault, Javlon Yunusov, is the common-law husband of one of many evening membership house owners and fled to South Korea within the hours following the assault on Allamjonov.

Azizov, 64, a veteran of the best ranges of Uzbekistan’s administration, had been head of the nation’s State Safety Service for 5 years. Previous to that, he was Minister of Protection for 2 years and briefly served as Minister Inner Affairs earlier than that.  In 2019, Azizov acquired a army title of lieutenant common and was appointed because the chairman of the State Safety Council shortly after. He additionally served as president of the Soccer Affiliation of Uzbekistan. A profession safety official, Azizov was head of Inner Affairs for Tashkent and headed the Division of Inner Affairs for the Jizzakh area of Uzbekistan, west of Tashkent, earlier than serving in Mirziyoyev’s authorities.

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