ABSTRACT
The war in Tajikistan has been one of the deadliest and most intractable conflicts on the territory of the former Soviet Union (FSU). With estimates ranging from 30,000 to 50,000 dead, more people died in this conflict than in all of the other conflicts in the FSU combined prior to the outbreak of war in Chechnya. Roughly half a million refugees were compelled to flee their homes. Western governments somewhat belatedly turned their attention to this conflict but found themselves faced with a situation riddled with confusion and misunderstanding.
