On Friday November 16, Regional Security Officer of the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe Barry Ullrich congratulated members of Tajikistan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and colleagues from Kazakhstan accompanied by Special Agent Adrian York on completing the Foreign Terrorist Fighter – Operators and Investigators course. Regional Security Officer Ullrich remarked that the United States values its excellent relationship with the Government of Tajikistan and looks forward to continued cooperation and shared success.
According to the U.S. Embassy, law enforcement officers from the two countries enhanced cooperation between law enforcement agencies and exchanged and developed skills in identifying, investigating, and tracking Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTF) within the region.
Regional Security Officer Ullrich told the law enforcement officers, “Nowadays, the security situation can change very quickly, and we must all be very professional and react appropriately and immediately. The people of Tajikistan are aware of the threats facing nations from terrorist organizations and criminal groups and citizens hope that you will protect the safety and stability of the country. Strong cooperation between countries is a strategic resource not only for the government, but for all of us who live in Tajikistan.”
The Foreign Terrorist Fighter – Operators and Investigators course is the third Antiterrorism Assistance (ATA) course of 2018 sponsored by the U.S. Embassy’s Regional Security Office. Since 2001, the U.S. government through this program has provided over $7 million in training for over 500 Tajik officials in both the United States and Tajikistan.
The Office of Antiterrorism Assistance was established in 1983 and is part of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security in the U.S. Department of State. It is an essential U.S. Government mechanism that provides training, equipment, and technology to partner governments actively engaged in fighting terrorism.
