Fighting has at last stopped around the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, but it's still not clear whether the withdrawal of government and opposition forces from the disputed areas of the city, and from further east, has been completed as was agreed.

There are some unconfirmed reports of fresh clashes around the town of Kofarnihon, about 25km to the east.

Senior government and opposition officials have gone to the area and to the east of Dushanbe to oversee the ceasefire agreement, reached yesterday after hours of talks, and aimed at bringing to an end one of the worst episodes in the country's 11 month old peace process.

Our Central Asia correspondent, Louise Hidalgo, is in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, and sent this report.

Government troops still guard the way to the road on the eastern edge of Dushanbe where the fighting was among the fiercest. Journalists were turned back as they tried to enter.

But residents leaving the area spoke of houses burned and bodies lying unburied in the street. Some, carrying what they could, were seeking sanctuary with relatives living elsewhere in the city.

Others were returning to see what remained of their homes. They said the opposition fighters, who for two days traded gunfire with the government troops across the streets, had now left.

Meanwhile military trucks carrying government soldiers could be seen returning from the east. This has been one of the most serious and bloody episodes since Tajikistan's faltering peace process first began, almost a year ago.

And it's still not clear whether it really has ended. There are unconfirmed reports of fresh fighting further east from Dushanbe in the town of Kofarnihon.

Peace in Tajikistan has always depended on individual commanders, many with scores to settle from the years of war, and some not yet convinced of the benefits of peace. For the residents of Dushanbe at least there is, for the moment, calm.

People here are weary of war and sick of the sound of fighting. Now the gruesome task must begin of counting the dead.
 

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