IIR 6 947 0003 06/ ITEMS OF INTEREST IN THE GBAO (U)

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUSHANBE 001612 SIPDIS NOFORN E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/5/2015 TAGS: MCAP TI SUBJECT: IIR 6 947 0003 06/ ITEMS OF INTEREST IN THE GBAO (U) CLASSIFIED BY: Jonathan Edwards, DATT, USDAO Dushanbe, DIA. REASON: 1.4 (b) CONFIDENTIAL NO FOREIGN SIPDIS SERIAL: (U) IIR 6 947 0003 06. COUNTRIES: (U) TAJIKISTAN (TI),RUSSIA (RS). IPSP: (U)IFC2510; IFC2540; IFC2550; IFC2061; IFC2000; IFC1367; IFC1347. SUBJECT: IIR 6 947 0003 06/ ITEMS OF INTEREST IN THE GBAO (U) WARNING: (U) THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE. REPORT CLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL -------------- -------------- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE -------------- -------------- DOI: (U) 20050917. REQS: (U) DHCD081002, DHCD111053, DHCD111045, DHCD045062, DHCD045058, U-TCX-2060-005-04. SOURCE: A. (C) //MEMBER DAO DUSHANBE// MEMBER OBSERVED REPORTED FACILITIES WHILE PARTICIPATING IN A JOINT EMBASSY/DAO VISIT TO THE REGION. CONTEXT STATEMENT - MEMBER OBSERVED FACILITIES WHILE ENROUTE. ¶B. (C/NF) //OTS 6-947-0032-05// FOREIGN NGO WORKER WITH LONG-TERM EXPOSURE TO THE REGION. CONTEXT STATEMENT - RO MET SOURCE WHEN SOURCE REQUESTED CHANCE TO PITCH GRANT PROPOSAL TO STATE REP. SOURCE WAS VERY FORTHCOMING ABOUT CONDITIONS IN THE REGION. ¶C. (C/NF) //OTS 6-947-0033-05// HOST NATION CONSCRIPT BORDER GUARD WITH DIRECT ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION. CONTEXT STATEMENT - RO MET SOURCE WHILE AWAITING PERMISSION TO ENTER BORDER GUARD POST. ¶D. (C/NF) //6 947 0024// RETIRED WESTERN MILITARY OFFICER CURRENTLY WORKING WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION WITH DIRECT ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION. USDAO HAS AN ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP WITH SOURCE. CONTEXT STATEMENT - RO AND SOURCE MET IN AN INFORMAL DIPLOMATIC SETTING. SOURCE IS AWARE THAT INFORMATION WILL REACH U.S. GOVERNMENT. SUMMARY: (C) INFO ON SUSPECTED RUSSIAN RADAR DOME, SUSPECTED DRUG BORDER CROSSING POINT, OBSERVED CROSS-RIVER TRAFFIC, AND TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE IN GORNO-BADAKHSHAN. TEXT: 1. (C) IN THE VILLAGE OF BASH GUMBEZ //GEOCOORD: 3746.499N/07332.626E// RO OBSERVED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A LARGE RADAR DOME. ACCORDING TO SOURCE B THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN A RUSSIAN RADAR SITE TO WHICH JOURNALISTS HAD BEEN DENIED ACCESS. WHEN RO APPROACHED SITE, THE DOME WAS FOUND TO BE EMPTY. LOCAL VILLAGERS CLAIMED THE SITE HAD BEEN A RUSSIAN METEOROLOGICAL STATION. ¶2. (C) WHILE TRAVELING ALONG THE PYANJ RIVER RO STOPPED TO OBSERVE AFGHAN SIDE OF BORDER AT //GEOCOORD: 3821.304N/07109.564E//. A BORDER GUARD SOLDIER APPROACHED RO TO OFFER ASSISTANCE. HE SAID HIS UNIT, AN 8 MAN TEAM, HAD ESTABLISHED AN OBSERVATION POINT TO COVER THIS POINT - STATING THAT IT WAS A KNOWN CROSSING POINT. SOLDIER CLAIMED THAT ONCE DRUGS WERE BROUGHT ACROSS THE RIVER, VEHICLES PICKED THEM UP FROM THIS POINT FOR FURTHER TRANSPORTATION. ¶3. (C) JUST SOUTH OF THE VILLAGE OF TOGMAY //GEOCOORD: 3826N/07103E// RO OBSERVED A ZODIAC TYPE BOAT BEING LOADED WITH METAL ROOFING MATERIALS ON THE TAJIK SIDE OF THE RIVER. RO ALSO OBSERVED LUMBER ON THE FAR BANK OF THE RIVER. APPROXIMATELY 8 BORDER GUARDS, INCLUDING A CAPTAIN, WERE SUPERVISING THE OPERATION. ACROSS THE RIVER WAS AN AFGHAN VILLAGE WITH NO OTHER ACCESS TO IT OTHER THAN A CLIFF-HUGGING DONKEY TRAIL. THE BORDER GUARD CAPTAIN WAS ADAMANT ABOUT NO PICTURES OR QUESTIONS FROM RO AND ACCOMPANYING STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICERS. WHEN ASKED ABOUT WHETHER THIS WAS AN ILLEGAL OPERATION, A BORDER GUARD SOLDIER APPEARED TO SMILE KNOWINGLY. (FIELD NOTE: RO OBSERVED ONLY CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL BEING TRANSPORTED, AND THERE IS A TAJIK PRESIDENTIAL ORDER THAT ALLOWS THESE TYPES OF CROSSINGS - SEE STATE DUSHANBE CABLE 00001503 FOR A DESCRIPTION OF THE ORDER. THAT SAID, RO'S IMPRESSION BASED ON BORDER GUARD CAPTAIN'S RESPONSE WAS THAT SOMETHING UN-KOSHER WAS OCCURRING. END NOTE.) ¶4. (C). THERE IS A BRIDGE ACROSS THE PYANJ RIVER AT ISHKASHIM //GEOCOORD: 3644.948N/07134.803E//. ¶5. (C). THERE IS A BRIDGE ACROSS THE PYANJ RIVER AT KARA-I-KHUMB //GEOCOORD: 3827.276N/07049.705E//. ¶6. (C) TURKISH COMPANY CONSTRUCTION SITE. THIS SITE IS THE BASE OF OPERATIONS FOR A TURKISH CONSTRUCTION COMPANY UPGRADING THE MAIN ROAD BETWEEN KULYOB AND KHOROG ON THE PANJ RIVER. THE SITE HAS A NUMBER OF PREFAB BUILDINGS, IS SURROUNDING BY A WIRE TOPPED CHAIN LINK FENCE, AND HAS A CONCRETE HELICOPTER PAD JUST OUTSIDE THE PERIMETER //GEOCOORD: 3759.478N/07018.151E//. ACCORDING TO SOURCE D THIS SITE IS LOCATED IN WHAT WAS A HEAVILY MINED AREA - WITH OVER 70 MINES RECOVERED FROM THE SITE. IN ADDITION, SOURCE D STATED THAT WHEN FIRST OPENED THIS SITE REGULARLY CAME UNDER FIRE FROM THE AFGHAN SIDE, UNTIL THE TURKISH COMPANY PAID OFF THE AFGHANS. ¶7. (C) DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHIC TITLING LOG. ALL PHOTOGRAPHIC ENCLOSURES TO IIR 6 947 0003 06 ARE CLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL. THEY WERE ACQUIRED IN THE GORNO-BADAKHSHAN AUTONOMOUS REGION ON 20050912-0919 USING A SONY CYBERSHOT 7.2MP, SN 1411693, GROUND. FRAMES DESCRIPTION 01 KHOROG AIRFIELD. AIRFIELD SUPPORTS ONE CIVILIAN FLIGHT (TAJIK AIR YAK-40) PER DAY IN GOOD WEATHER. 02-04 ZODIAK CROSSING THE PYANZ AND SUPPLIES ON AFGHAN SIDE. 05-06 APPROX 180 DEGREES. INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE AT ISHKASHIM. 07-09 INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE AT KARA-I-KHUMB. 10 POST-BAZAAR GATHERING ON AFGHAN SIDE OF BRIDGE AT KARA-I-KHUMB, 20050918. 11-12 WEST END OF ISHKASHIM AIRFIELD. AIRFIELD IS NOT CURRENTLY USED FOR REGULARLY SCHEDULED CIVILIAN FLIGHTS. 13-15 EMPTY GEODESIC DOME IN VILLAGE OF BASH GUMBEZ. COMMENTS: 1. (C) FIELD COMMENT: NONE. ¶2. (U) SOURCE IS AVAILABLE FOR FURTHER CONTACT. ¶3. (U) DIRECT ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS IIR TO DIA/DHO-2 AT STU III (202) 231-7299, OR DSN 428-7299. COLL: (U) AB. INSTR: (U) U.S. NO. PREP: (U) 6-04797. ENCL: (U) NONE. ACQ: (U) DUSHANBE, TAJIKISTAN (20050917) DISSEM: (U) FIELD: EMBASSY AT DUSHANBE. WARNING: (U) REPORT CLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL NO FOREIGN DRVD FM: DHS HUMINT SCG OCT 04 DECL ON: 20150927 HOAGLAND NNNN