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

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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


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