Rakhman Nabiyev

President Rakhman Nabiyev ordered the creation of a special national guard as massive street protests brought the capital, Dushanbe, to a standstill, Interfax news agency said. Nabiyev, the former Communist leader of the conservative Central Asian state, has imposed direct presidential rule and suspended civil liberties and parliamentary activities. But rival groups demonstrating for and against the government have ignored Nabiyev's moves and continued a monthlong protest.

Insurgents seeking to restore Tajikistan's hard-line president to office seized power in Dushanbe on Saturday, storming the presidential palace and declaring they will not allow the Central Asian country to be ruled by Islamic fundamentalists. Although heavy fighting continued into Saturday night in the Tajik capital, the militants from the southern region of Kulyab appeared successful in their bid to reverse last month's ouster of longtime Communist leader Rakhman Nabiyev.

Former President Rakhman Nabiyev said he was forced to resign at gunpoint and that Tajikistan is now under the influence of Islamic militants. Nabiyev spoke publicly for the first time since he resigned Monday and took refuge in his northern stronghold, the Leninabad region. He said he still hopes he can be restored to power. But he discounted suggestions that he could use Leninabad as a base for a campaign against the former Soviet republic's new leadership.

Former President Rakhman Nabiyev said he was forced to resign at gunpoint and that Tajikistan is now under the influence of Islamic militants. Nabiyev spoke publicly for the first time since he resigned Monday and took refuge in his northern stronghold, the Leninabad region. He said he still hopes he can be restored to power. But he discounted suggestions that he could use Leninabad as a base for a campaign against the former Soviet republic's new leadership.

Dushanbe, the normally quiet capital city of Tajikistan, tottered on the edge of large-scale violence Tuesday after the conservative government of President Rakhman Nabiyev threatened to use "Los Angeles-style force" to crush opposition demonstrators and began arming a newly formed national guard that the opposition charges is composed of "criminals." Nabiyev is also believed to be moving heavily armed Interior Ministry troops into Dushanbe from his home city of Leninabad.

The government and the opposition in the former Soviet republic of Tajikistan reached agreement today on a coalition government to end a bloody political crisis, the Itar-Tass news agency said. In a report from the Tajik capital of Dushanbe, it said opponents of President Rakhman Nabiyev would take eight of 24 ministries in a new Cabinet, including the Defense Ministry. Itar-Tass quoted Col.

Hundreds of protesters stormed the offices of President Rakhman Nabiyev in the Central Asian republic of Tajikistan on Monday and took members of Nabiyev's staff and other officials hostage, Russian news agencies reported. The Itar-Tass news agency said the demonstrators occupied the ground floor of the presidential palace in the capital of Dushanbe.

The leaders of Tajikistan told the world Tuesday that the departure of President Rakhman Nabiyev would not hurt democracy in the poor and volatile former Soviet republic. "The Parliament and government of the republic of Tajikistan state with full responsibility that the voluntary resignation of the president . . . in no way signifies that we will turn away from the path of creating a democratic, secular state," an official statement said.

Forming a Revolutionary Council, a coalition of democrats and Muslim activists declared Thursday that power in this Central Asian republic has passed into their hands, and supporters by the thousands shouted, "God is great!" The whereabouts of Rakhman Nabiyev, a former Communist hard-liner elected president last fall, were unknown.

Insurgents seeking to restore Tajikistan's hard-line president to office seized power in Dushanbe on Saturday, storming the presidential palace and declaring they will not allow the Central Asian country to be ruled by Islamic fundamentalists. Although heavy fighting continued into Saturday night in the Tajik capital, the militants from the southern region of Kulyab appeared successful in their bid to reverse last month's ouster of longtime Communist leader Rakhman Nabiyev.

The leaders of Tajikistan told the world Tuesday that the departure of President Rakhman Nabiyev would not hurt democracy in the poor and volatile former Soviet republic. "The Parliament and government of the republic of Tajikistan state with full responsibility that the voluntary resignation of the president . . . in no way signifies that we will turn away from the path of creating a democratic, secular state," an official statement said.

Hundreds of protesters stormed the offices of President Rakhman Nabiyev in the Central Asian republic of Tajikistan on Monday and took members of Nabiyev's staff and other officials hostage, Russian news agencies reported. The Itar-Tass news agency said the demonstrators occupied the ground floor of the presidential palace in the capital of Dushanbe.

The government and the opposition in the former Soviet republic of Tajikistan reached agreement today on a coalition government to end a bloody political crisis, the Itar-Tass news agency said. In a report from the Tajik capital of Dushanbe, it said opponents of President Rakhman Nabiyev would take eight of 24 ministries in a new Cabinet, including the Defense Ministry. Itar-Tass quoted Col.

Forming a Revolutionary Council, a coalition of democrats and Muslim activists declared Thursday that power in this Central Asian republic has passed into their hands, and supporters by the thousands shouted, "God is great!" The whereabouts of Rakhman Nabiyev, a former Communist hard-liner elected president last fall, were unknown.

Tajiks opposing their republic's hard-line ex-Communist leader took control of his residence and most of their capital Wednesday after a violence-marred night in which the chief of the presidential guard dramatically defected to their side. Rakhman Nabiyev, Tajikistan's president, was nowhere to be found in the presidential palace, and his foes said he was holed up in the Parliament building, protected by hundreds of supporters with automatic weapons.

Dushanbe, the normally quiet capital city of Tajikistan, tottered on the edge of large-scale violence Tuesday after the conservative government of President Rakhman Nabiyev threatened to use "Los Angeles-style force" to crush opposition demonstrators and began arming a newly formed national guard that the opposition charges is composed of "criminals." Nabiyev is also believed to be moving heavily armed Interior Ministry troops into Dushanbe from his home city of Leninabad.

Tajiks opposing their republic's hard-line ex-Communist leader took control of his residence and most of their capital Wednesday after a violence-marred night in which the chief of the presidential guard dramatically defected to their side. Rakhman Nabiyev, Tajikistan's president, was nowhere to be found in the presidential palace, and his foes said he was holed up in the Parliament building, protected by hundreds of supporters with automatic weapons.

Cementing its reputation as the firmest bastion of conservatism in the post-coup Soviet Union, Tadzhikistan elected an old-time Communist Party boss as its new president, according to preliminary returns released Monday.

President Rakhman Nabiyev ordered the creation of a special national guard as massive street protests brought the capital, Dushanbe, to a standstill, Interfax news agency said. Nabiyev, the former Communist leader of the conservative Central Asian state, has imposed direct presidential rule and suspended civil liberties and parliamentary activities. But rival groups demonstrating for and against the government have ignored Nabiyev's moves and continued a monthlong protest.

Cementing its reputation as the firmest bastion of conservatism in the post-coup Soviet Union, Tadzhikistan elected an old-time Communist Party boss as its new president, according to preliminary returns released Monday.