Svobodna Dnevnik

[Hadash]

El Correo Internacional

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Kyrzbekistan: 'Great purge' in military leadership
By: Milena Brovina
Published: Dein 8, 1584


General Nado Alimur, second highest-ranking officer until yesterday.

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In an unexpected decision, the Commissariat for Defense of the Democratic Republic of Kyrzbekistan has announced the sacking and suspension of more than 60 military officers, in what has been described as an unprecedented purge of the military forces.

There have been rumours for years for a change of leadership in the Kyrzbekistani Armed Forces, specially regarding Radak Sygur, who has been Chief of the General Staff of the Kyrzbekistani Revolutionary Armed Forces since 1569. Sygur, along Chairman of the People's Council Damir Kazbekuz, was one of the main commanders of the Kyrzbek Revolutionary Army, the armed-wing of the Workers People's Party during the Kyrzbek-Arberian Civil War (1559-1568). However, Commissar for Defense Gölçäçäk Aydakuz has confirmed yesterday Sygur in his position as highest ranking official fo the armed forces.

The highest ranking official sacked was General Nado Alimur, Deputy Chief of the General Staff since 1581, and who was rumoured to be a likely successor and replacement for Sygur. Alimur led the Kyrzbekistani forces in the Regional Coalition of the Wadyiah Civil War, and served in recent years as the Kyrzbekistani highest military officer in the Central Command of the Near East Treaty Organization. He was also well-known unconventional officer, who was not shy to media appearances and for his self-styled image of "common man" between the armed forces. In 1579, he was rumoured to succeed Damir Kazbekuz as Commisar for Defense, but Kazbekuz -who had been appointed Chairman of the People's Council- chose Gölçäçäk Aydakuz, former head of the KYRZMaKBak -the military intelligence agency- as new minister of defense instead.

General Nado Alimur was one of the military leaders of the Kyrzbek Self-Defense Forces, the armed militia of the left-nationalist Kyrzbek Democratic Party, which played a minor role during the Kyrzbek-Arberian Civil War. The Kyrzbek Democratic Party merged with the Workers People's Party in 1569, along other left-wing organizations, establishing the Socialist People's Party which has been in power in the Democratic Republic of Kyrzbekistan since then. It was speculated that Alimur dismissal may be related to strengthen the influence and power of veteran Workers People's Party officials, likely more loyal to Chairman Damir Kazbekuz, before the coming congress of the Socialist People's Party late this year. However, the Kyrzbekistani federal government has rejected such claim.

Along General Nado Alimur, many of the military officers sacked were involved in coalition forces during the Wadyiah Civil War (1573-1574) and subsequent military occupation of the country, and other served as military advisors and envoys in the Near East Treaty Organization in recent years.  Commissar for Foreign Affairs Mavzida Läkuz, who is also a former prominent member of the Kyrzbek Democratic Party and was Kyrzbekistani representative in the NETO leadership from 1580 to 1582, has declared that there was nothing extraordinary in the changes of the armed forces, as such changes are required to "assure the efficiency and organization of our armed forces", she declared.

The Commissariat of Defense has confirmed today that General Nysha Zophakuz will replace Alimur as Deputy Chief of the General Staff.