MILITANTS HOLD TAJIK PRESIDENTIAL PALACE

Militant opponents of Tajik President Rakhmov Nabiyev controlled the republic's presidential palace Sept. 1, demanding the former communist leader's resignation, an opposition spokesman said.

A number of hostages including the mayor of Dushanbe had been taken but their whereabouts were not known. The whereabouts of President Nabiyev were unclear.

The opposition front embraces a broad range of movements ranging from militant Islamic groups to organizations modeling themselves on parliamentary ideas.