Prague, 13 December 1996 (RFE/RL) - A spokeswoman for the United Nations monitoring force in Tajikistan tells RFE/RL it has no monitors in the Garm region because its monitors were withdrawn last week after they were attacked by government forces.
The spokeswoman in Dushanbe today was asked to comment on reports of fighting yesterday in Garm that seemed to indicate a new ceasefire is not being honored. She says reports today from Garm indicate the situation there is calm. And she says other monitors at Tavil Dara and Khovalink also report calm, and that the parties are observing the ceasefire.
Tajikistan's government yesterday reported an attack on Government forces at Garm, and reports had said it appeared the ceasefire was on the verge of collapse, only hours after coming into force.
The U.N. maintains a small observer force in Tajikistan to monitor a ceasefire that was first signed more than two years ago.