CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) 鈥 A Tajikistan national who fatally shot two security officers at Moldova鈥檚 main international airport is wanted in his native country in relation to the kidnapping of a Tajik bank official, authorities said.
The General Prosecutor鈥檚 Office of Tajikistan named the assailant as Rustam Ashurov and alleged he was a member of an 鈥渙rganized criminal group鈥 that kidnapped the deputy chairman of a bank in Dushanbe, the Central Asian country's capital, on June 23.
The prosecutor鈥檚 office said Ashurov, 43, a resident of Dushanbe, fled to via Turkey after a criminal investigation was launched 鈥渨ith the aim of going into hiding in EU countries.鈥
After arriving at Chisinau International Airport on Friday, he was denied entry into the country and grabbed a guard鈥檚 weapon as he was being escorted away by officials, according to authorities. He fatally shot two security officers. One traveler was also wounded in the attack.
Ashurov sustained serious injuries and was hospitalized after special forces intervened to subdue him, Moldova鈥檚 acting prosecutor general, Ion Munteanu, said after the incident. He told reporters Saturday that his office filed a criminal case for 鈥渕urder with aggravating circumstances鈥 and said, 鈥渘o case (has been) initiated for terrorism.鈥
鈥淭he reason for the detention at the border was that the person could not clearly explain the reason for arrival and the purpose of being in the territory of the Republic of Moldova," Munteanu said, adding that the General Prosecutor鈥檚 Office 鈥渋s in continuous discussions鈥 with authorities in Tajikistan.
Moldova鈥檚 president, Maia Sandu, identified the people killed Friday as a border police officer and an airport security employee.
The head of Moldova鈥檚 police, Viorel Cernauteanu, told reporters Saturday that 鈥減olice exchanged fire with the attacker鈥 during the incident, which unfolded at 5:13 p.m. local time
Asked Friday if Ashurov had connections to , Cernauteanu said there was no evidence that the suspect 鈥渉as relationships with military or paramilitary structures鈥 and he was not listed in any international search system.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, neighboring Moldova 鈥 a country with a population of about 2.6 million people, and a European Union candidate since June 2022 鈥 has faced a long list of crises.
They included an acute winter energy crisis after Russia dramatically reduced gas supplies and recurring anti-government protests organized by a now-outlawed Russia-friendly political party against the ruling pro-Western administration.
Moldova鈥檚 leaders have also repeatedly of conducting campaigns to try , which, like Tajikistan, was a Soviet republic until 1991.
