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Mysterious Curfew Complicates Lives Of Turkmen City Residents


A deserted street in Turkmenabat.
A deserted street in Turkmenabat.

TURKENABAT, Turkmenistan -- Residents of the eastern Turkmenistan city of Turkmenabat say local police have been enforcing an 11 p.m. curfew for the past several days without giving any explanation.

RFE/RL correspondents reported on August 15 that locals have been stopped by police after 10 p.m. and warned to be in their homes before 11. Anyone found on the streets after 11 p.m. is taken into custody.

Police then detain them for up to 18 hours, demanding that relatives come and identify them.

Detainees are required to provide a written explanation for their presence on the streets.

No official statements have been made to announce the curfew or explain the police actions.

Turkmenabat is the capital of Lebap province, which borders neighboring Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.

There have been media reports of shooting incidents along the Turkmen-Afghan border, allegedly involving Taliban militants and Turkmen border guards, since early 2015.

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