To prevent further spread of a new coronavirus (COVID-19) in the region, the authorities of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) have restricted traffic from other areas of the region to Khorog, the capital of the GBAO.  

“This decision was made by the GBAO government on May 23 and it will be in effect during ten days,” Gholib Niyatbekov, a spokesman for the GBAO regional administration told Asia-Plus in an interview.  

He also denied the information about the closure of the Dushanbe-Khorog highway for traffic as absolutely baseless.

“The highway is open for traffic and vehicles with passengers can arrive in the region in the case of necessity.  The GBAO authorities, however, ask people not to travel from Dushanbe to Khorog and from Khorog to Dushanbe unnecessarily,” Niyatbekov said.