Thirteen members of an armed group that carried out deadly attacks on Tajikistan's police force were killed in a security operation, the interior ministry said Saturday.

The operation by both the army and police follows attacks Friday, in which eight policemen and nine militants were killed, which the government says were orchestrated by former deputy defence minister Abduhalim Nazarzoda.

"At this time, 32 members of Nazarzoda's criminal group have been detained, 13 of whom have been eliminated," the ministry said in a statement.