DUSHANBE -- Wolves have killed two women in eastern Tajikistan, prompting complaints from residents that they have been unable to defend themselves against wolf attacks since local authorities confiscated their hunting rifles.
Umeda Yusupova, a spokeswoman for the Tajik government's Committee on Emergency Situations and Civil Defense, told RFE/RL that the deadly wolf attack took place in the early morning hours of March 7 in Tajikistan's Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous region.
Local residents there told RFE/RL that the two victims of the wolf attack were 83-year-old Amalbegim Tashrifbekova and her 55-year-old daughter Mastibegim Davandova.
There have been other deadly wolf attacks in the area in recent years.
In July 2017, wolves killed a 3-year-old child there.
In early 2013, separate wolf attacks killed an elderly woman and severely injured another elderly woman in the region.
Wolves are especially aggressive during the winter months and often attack villagers in Tajikistan's mountainous regions.
Authorities in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous region confiscated the hunting rifles of villagers several years ago after imposing a ban on the hunting wolves.
