Tajik prosecutors say 46 young men have been arrested on suspicion of planning to join Islamist fighters in Syria.
The Sughd Province's prosecutor's office said on December 3 the local men, aged between 20 and 30, were charged with "organizing a criminal group for participating in armed conflicts or warfare in other countries."
The statement added that the suspects are members of banned Islamic groups who planned to go to the Middle East to fight with militants in Syria, including the Islamic State group.
Officials in Tajikistan -- Central Asia's poorest country -- said last month that as many as 300 Tajik citizens have fought in Syria against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
Tajikistan, which has been led since 1992 by former Soviet official Emomali Rahmon, has arrested scores of people on suspicion of extremist activities in recent months.
