In August 2000, in the south of Uzbekistan, military clashes took place between the government forces and terrorists of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), who entered the country.

The militants hatched far-reaching plans and already left their bloody trail not only in Uzbekistan, but also in Tajikistan (during the civil war), Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Russia, conducting a series of sabotage and terrorist acts.

Colonel Reserve Botir Abdullayev spoke about the events in Sariosiyo.

“It was August 2000. Uzbekistan’s border was attacked by international terrorist groups. Our newly formed battalions of special operations forces, where I served, fought with them. Once, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the first President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, came to our unit,” he said.

The president came up and asked about the problems, asked what machinery or equipment would still be useful.

“But most of all I and all my comrades remember the words that Islam Karimov spoke loudly before the formation. “Remember, if someone says that I ordered you to go to certain death, do not believe it: I have never given and will never give such an order!” he said. In other words, he had no hysteria or fear. We felt confident in our abilities and the powers of the supreme commander. The main thing for him was not to block the enemy’s breakthrough at any cost, but to save the lives of people who were ready to give them up for our independent and secular Uzbekistan,” Botir Abdullayev said.

It should be recalled that in 2000, the IMU military groups occupied several villages in the Surkhandarya region, not far from the border with Tajikistan.