BBC, Vesti sites blocked in Tajikistan

Web sites for the British Broadcasting Corp. and Russian TV channel Vesti have been blocked by Tajikistan's government, Web users said Monday. Users told RIA Novosti the BBC and Vesti sites have been blocked in Tajikistan since Sunday. Authorities earlier blocked YouTube. "The decision has been taken by the Governmental Communications Service," an Internet provider company spokesman said. Experts said the move may be linked to an armed conflict that took place in the eastern city of Khorog on Tuesday, in which nine security officers were killed and 25 injured. Security forces were carrying out a special operation against a mafia-style group believed to be responsible for the murder of a top Tajik security general, Abdullo Nazarov. The government denied any civilian casualties, but opposition media reported at least 200 dead, including security officers and civilians. Opposition activists alleged the mission in Khorog was aimed at suppressing opposition in the Gorno-Badakhshan region, which has remained volatile 15 years since the 1997 end of a civil war between the Moscow-backed government and an Islamist-led opposition.