AKIPRESS.COM - The Khatlon regional court sentenced three relatives of the ex-commander of Tajik police and "ISIS minister of war" Gulmurod Khalimov to long prison terms for mercenarism, attempt to illegally cross the state border and resistance to police officers, a source in the court told on October 20.

According to him, the verdict was rendered at the end of last week and has not yet entered into legal force.

Ex-commander's brothers Komil Khalimov and Nazir Khalimov and his nephew Ali Khalimov were jailed for 7-18 years.

The three were arrested on the night of July 5 during the special operation in Ibrati village of Vose district.

Four others — Sultonmurod Khalimov and Fozil Khalimov and his nephew Afzal Abdurashidov and their relative Naim Rahmonov were killed during resistance to police.

According to the special services of Tajikistan, Gulmurod Khalimov's relatives planned to cross the Tajik-Afghan border near Chubek village, where they were expected to be met by ISIS militants. It was reported that Naim Rahmonov, his neighbor and one more relative of Khalimovs were in a constant contact with Gulmurod Khalimov through one of the IS militants in Afghanistan.

Russia's Defense Ministry last month reported that Gulmurod Khalimov was killed as a result of the Russian air strike.

Colonel Gulmurod Khalimov disappeared in April 2015. In late May, he reported that he is in Syria.