History of the Jews in Tajikistan of Jews from neighboring Uzbekistan. Most Jews settled in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, where they opened the Dushanbe synagogue. During World War II, a second wave of Ashkenazic Jews migrated to Tajikistan. In the Soviet Union, including Tajikistan, beginning in the 1970s, Jews who were able, began to emigrate to Israel, as well as to the United States. By the late 1980s, many of Tajikistan's Jews had left. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Tajikistan gained independence and the country fell into a state of civil war between the government and Islamist forces. Continuous military conflict
1991 Uzbek independence election the proposal that the country "should remain part of a renewed Union (federation) as a sovereign republic with equal rights". However, following the attempted coup d'état in August, it was decided to seek independence. Independence was subsequently declared on 31 August, and the Soviet Union ceased to exist on 26 December 1991, three days before the referendum. 1991 Uzbek independence election An independence referendum was held in the Republic of Uzbekistan on 29 December 1991, alongside presidential elections. The result was 98.3% of voters in favour, with a turnout of 94.1%. In a USSR-wide referendum held in March, 95% of