| Министерство обороны Таджикистан Вазорати мудофиа | |
 The ministry's logo | |
 The current minister of defense of Tajikistan Emomali Sobirzoda. | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 4 January 1993; 32 years ago (1993-01-04) |
| Jurisdiction |  Government of Tajikistan |
| Headquarters | 59 Bokhtar Street,Dushanbe[1] |
| Minister responsible | |
| Deputy Minister responsible | |
| Website | www |
TheMinistry of Defence of Tajikistan (Russian:Министерство обороны Таджикистан,romanized: Ministerstvo oborony Tadzhikistan;Tajik:Вазорати мудофиаи Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон,romanized: Vazorati mudofiai Çumhurii Toçikiston) is thedefence ministry ofTajikistan, overseeing theTajik Ground Forces,[2]Air Force,[3]Mobile Forces.[4] It also oversees purchases of equipment for theTajik military. The other branches of the military, such as theBorder andInternal Troops, are overseen by theInterior Ministry of Tajikistan. The Defence Ministry was founded in 1993 withRussian assistance.
The ministry succeeded the Defense Committee of the Republic of Tajikistan, led by formermilitary commissar of theTajik SSR GeneralMuminzhan Mamadjanov.[5] It was founded just weeks after theSoviet Union was officially dissolved and months after Tajikistan declared its independence. The committee went through multiple phases, with one of its chairmen,Farukh Niyazov,[6] being dismissed on 7 May 1992 at the request of the opposition.[7]
The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan was established by a presidential decree on January 4, 1993. The ministry was under joint Tajik and Russian control until February 1993, when the armed forces were founded. At the time, 200 officers were sent fromUzbekistan to serve in the new Tajik agency on the orders of future PresidentEmomali Rahmon.[8] In 1994, with assistance from theRussian 201st Military Base and Russian authorities inMoscow, the Tajik ministry became fully functional in leading the armed forces under the directive of thePresident of Tajikistan. On 18 July 1996, aterrorist attack took place at the grounds of the defense ministry, which resulted in the death of one person and the injury of nine people.[9] In September 2015, a group of armed military personnel led byAbduhalim Nazarzoda attacked the defense ministry in an attempt to overthrow the Rahmon government.[10]
The Press Centre of the Ministry of Defence (Tajik:Маркази матбуоти Вазорати мудофиаи) has been operating as an part of the Central Office since 1993 and is subordinated to the Minister of Defence.[12] The head of the press centre is appointed and dismissed directly by the Minister of Defence.[12] The staff of the Press Centre consists of a mix of military and civilian personnel. The centre is headed by the following press secretaries: Colonel Faridun Mahmadalizoda (2007—present).[13] In 2015, as a result of military reforms in the ministry, the Information and Recreation Centre was established subordinated to the Press Centre.[12] It includes the following:[12]
The Newspaper "Defender of the Homeland" (Tajik:Рӯзномаи «Ҳомии Ватан»,romanized: Rūznomai "Homi Vatan") was founded on 10 December 1993, a day when the first issue of which was published in two languages, Tajik and Russian.[14] In its first days of its existence, when it was limited to 11 soldiers.[14] The following have been the newspaper's editor-in-chief:[14]
The motto of the publication is "Bravery, honour and loyalty" (Tajik:«Шуҷоат, шараф ва садоқат»).[14]
The Military Medical Department was established in 1999 on the of the Central Office of theMinistry of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense. The military medical department and the military hospital operated in the building of the Central Office until 2004. In 2009, the Medical Department, the Military Medical Commission and the Military Hospital received a new building in Shohmansur.[15]
The Central Military Hospital of the Ministry of Defence (Tajik:Госпитали марказии ҳарбии Вазорати мудофиаи Тоҷикистон) is amilitary hospital for the Tajik Armed Forces. It is located at 40th years of Victory Road inDushanbe. It cooperates with the Medical Faculty of theTajik National University.[16]
The House of Officers (Tajik:Хонаи мандати) is acultural centre andgentlemen's club of the national army. Construction on the building took place between 2012 and 2016 and was built within the framework of a military agreement between the armed forces and thePeople's Liberation Army of China. It was commissioned by President Rahmon on 5 May 2016.[17] The building consists of five floors and basement area. Rooms in the building include a swimming pool, a large dining room, working rooms and service centres, assembly halls, recreation and entertainment areas and living compartments. There are approximately 20 bedrooms available in the building.[18][19] The six-storey building is located on Foteh Niazi Avenue in central squares in Dushanbe.[20]
Previously, a House of Officers carrying the name of MarshalKlement Voroshilov was located in Dushanbe from 1930 to 2003, being controlled by theRussian 201st Military Base.[21]
The Central Army Sports Club has been operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Defense since 2003. Athletes of this club, contribute to the development of sports in the Armed Forces as well as the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. Since its inception, it has won 570 gold, 371 silver, 407 bronze medals and a total of 1348 honorary awards.[22]
CSKA Pamir Dushanbe is also affiliated with the defence ministry.
Since 1996, the Women's Council has been working under the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Tajikistan.[23]
These institutions are the seniormost of their kind in theTajik Armed Forces.
TheTajik Mobile Forces, also known as the Mobile Forces of the Ministry of Defence of Tajikistan, is made up of 20,000 paratroopers of the armed forces of Tajikistan. The mobile forces is a direct unit of the ministry of defence and is also a service branch of the Tajik Armed Forces, similar to theRussian Airborne Troops. It is currently based at theDushanbe International Airport in the capital.
TheCommandant Regiment of the Ministry of Defense (Tajik:Полки комендантӣ вазорати мудофиаи) is the official security unit the ministry responsible for the protection of government officials. It is based in Dushanbe, and provides security for the building of the ministry, the parliament building, and theKohi Millat. It is the Tajik equivalent to theCommandant's Office of the Moscow Kremlin. TheHonour Guard Company of the Ministry of Defense (Tajik:Ротаи Каровули Фахри вазорати мудофиаи) is one of two ceremonial units of theArmed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan with the other being the special unit of thePresidential National Guard. The company is a purely representative unit made up of members of branches of the armed forces (specifically theTajik National Army,Tajik Mobile Forces,Tajik Air Force,Presidential National Guard) and serves under the command of the Commandant Regiment. The time frame for drafting into the unit is 3 to 6 months.[24] Its missions include guarding important public buildings inDushanbe and providing honours for foreign dignitaries and government officials at theKohi Millat. The company has taken part in many international ceremonies and parades including in aparade onTiananmen Square in honour ofV-J Day in 2015[25][26][27] and amilitary parade onRed Square in2020.
TheMilitary Brass Band of the Ministry of Defense is the main and senior most military band in the armed forces. Although it is officially part of theTajik National Army, the brass band is a directly reporting unit of the Defence Ministry.[28][29] The band provides musical support in the annual Victory Day,Independence Day andArmed Forces Day parades, held in May, September and February respectively.[30]
The following military bands also operate under the command of the commandant's of the Ministry of Defence:
The 56-memberTajik Air Force Band (оркестри ҳарбӣ-нафасии) is also maintained.[31]
| No. | Portrait | Minister of Defence | Took office | Left office | Time in office | President | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Shishlyannikov, AlexanderMajor General Alexander Shishlyannikov (1950–2023) | 1 January 1993 | 7 April 1995 | 2 years, 96 days | Rahmon Nabiyev Emomali Rahmon | [35][36] |
| 2 | | Khayrulloyev, SheraliColonel General Sherali Khayrulloyev (born 1949) | 7 April 1995 | 20 November 2013 | 18 years, 227 days | Emomali Rahmon | — |
| 3 |  | Mirzo, SheraliColonel General Sherali Mirzo (born 1967) | 20 November 2013 | Incumbent | 11 years, 224 days | Emomali Rahmon | — |