Inspectors beaten and injured while chasing illegal saxaul traders in Khorezm

On July 15, inspectors who were pursuing individuals illegally cutting saxaul plants were violently attacked and injured. This was reported by the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change.

According to the ministry, the Bukhara Regional Ecology Department carried out a raid in the Safron desert massif of the Peshku district. The operation involved several employees of the environmental control inspection, including J. Toshev, A. Qurbonov, B. Ro‘ziyev, J. Yadgarov, F. Murodov, N. Muhammadiyev, and O. Hesenov.

During the raid, the inspectors spotted unidentified individuals from the Khorezm region illegally cutting saxaul plants in the desert and loading them onto a ZIL truck. The vehicle was moving along an internal desert road, followed by a JAK department vehicle carrying the inspectors.

After approximately 110 kilometers of pursuit, the ZIL truck left the A-380 Guzar–Bukhara–Nukus highway, entering Khorezm territory. About 5 kilometers further, one inspector dropped off some officers to monitor other vehicles while he continued to follow the ZIL truck. Shortly after, a white Isuzu truck with Khorezm license plates blocked the road about 200 meters ahead.

Several unknown individuals emerged from the Isuzu armed with various blunt weapons—metal rods, pipes, and fittings. They began beating and kicking the department’s vehicle while verbally insulting the head of the inspection with obscene language, forcing the inspector to flee the scene.

The attackers then turned on the other inspection officers. They brutally assaulted N. Muhammadiyev and O. Hesenov, hitting them in the face and body, leaving them with serious injuries. Muhammadiyev’s leg was broken during the attack. The offenders then attempted to abduct the injured inspectors by loading them into their truck. However, while the vehicle was moving, the inspectors managed to jump out of the back and escape.

The Tuproqqala District Prosecutor’s Office in the Khorezm region is currently investigating the incident.

It should be recalled that earlier, during a similar raid in the Bukhara region, it was revealed that saxaul plants were being illegally harvested and removed from the desert areas of the Romitan and Alot districts.