AKIPRESS.COM - Over the first six months of this year, 3,062 juvenile crimes have been reported in Tajikistan. The rate increased by 126 cases compared to the same period last year, Interior Minister Ramazon Rakhimzoda told a press conference in Dushanbe on July 18.

Juvenile crime, he said, is currently one of the main problems that Tajikistan is facing.

“The second problem is the attendance of Tajik students at foreign religious schools,” the Minister continued adding that such schools are training terrorists and extremists instead of ordinary religious people.

Currently, some 150 Tajik students are studying at these schools abroad, he noticed.

“The third problem is participation of Tajik nationals in foreign armed conflicts. They are fighting in armed conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

Rakhimzoda stressed that some 200 Tajik are fighting in Syria on the side of rebel forces.

“Another serious problem is drug trafficking,” the Interior Minister added.