18-Year-Old Conscript Dies in Ayagoz Military Unit

Salamat Sabitov, an 18-year-old conscript from the North Kazakhstan region, died while serving in a military unit in Ayagoz, located in the Abay region, Orda.kz reports.

He had been drafted in March and served for just three weeks before his death.

According to his relatives, Salamat had serious pre-existing health conditions. They claim he had not yet taken the military oath and question how he was deemed fit for service.

Salamat was unfit for service, we had a certificate in hand. His spine hurt. He had problems with his eyesight. Despite this, he was sent to serve in a tank unit. He spent a week in the hospital. When his condition worsened, they called his parents,
relatives said. 

His motherclaims that Salamat was sick and unfit for service. However, at the insistence of officials, the young man was sent for a medical examination, and the very next morning, to the army:

On April 22, two military officers came to our home at ten o’clock at night. They said my son was evading military service and threatened criminal prosecution. That the case would allegedly be handed over to the military prosecutor. We were also told that in such a case we would have to pay a fine of four million tenge. I don’t have that kind of money. We rent an apartment. The next morning, they took him to the army straight from there.
I was at work at the time. I only managed to see him when he was already on the train. We spoke on the phone from time to time. He didn’t complain about anything. Then my son ended up in intensive care. The commander said everything was fine — not to worry. We didn’t believe him and sent a relative. The relative said that Salamat had fallen into a coma. I arrived to see him in the morning. That same day, his heart stopped. 

The Ministry of Defense confirmed his death, stating that Salamat passed away on May 19 at the Ayagoz District Hospital.

The reported cause of death was a hypertoxic (fulminant) form of bacterial meningitis.

On the evening of May 16, the soldier was hospitalized in a military hospital complaining of malaise and high temperature. After the initial examination and prescription of treatment, his condition did not improve. On May 17, additional examinations were conducted, including ultrasound and CT, based on the results of which the patient was transferred to the central district hospital for further treatment. On May 18, the soldier's condition deteriorated sharply. Despite the efforts of medical specialists and intensive care in the intensive care unit, it was not possible to save him. A criminal case was opened into the death of the soldier,
 the Ministry commented.

Sources told Orda.kz that the draft board of the North Kazakhstan region, which approved Sabitov for service, has launched an internal investigation.

Original Author: Nazerke Yerkinbekkyzy