The Kyrgyzstan government is investigating the apparent theft of equipment from the former United States air base there, which the departing Americans had handed over to the Kyrgyzstan armed forces.
A criminal case was opened in February, deputy military prosecutor Belek Mamatbayev told RFE/RL. "This is a strategic object," he said. "In the interests of the investigation I can't say anything now. After the investigation is finished we will give more information about who is accused, what are the losses to the state, and what court will look at the case."
When the base formally closed in 2014, the U.S. handed over the equipment, valued at $30 million, to Kyrgyzstan's National Guard, which was going to use the base. RFE/RL described the equipment as consisting of dozens of cars, mobile barracks, tents, generators, televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners, washing mashines and other home and office electronics.
A government commission then distributed the equipment to various ministries and agencies, and the National Guard was allocated some, as well, but some remained in storage at Manas. When a new commander was named to the battalion assigned to Manas, he discovered that some of the equipment was missing, National Guard official Taalai Myrzabayev told RFE/RL.
"After everything was handed over to the National Guard, we conducted checks from time to time," said Abdyrakhman Mamataliyev, who was vice premier for security affairs when the base was handed over, in an interview with RFE/RL. "The government should have controlled it. If you take into account our mentality, you need checks. This was very good equipment. If the theft is confirmed, it's a shame."
Joshua Kucera, a senior correspondent, is Eurasianet's former Turkey/Caucasus editor and has written for the site since 2007.
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