DUSHANBE, September 8, Asia-Plus 2010, Asia-Plus — A military transport plane of Tajik Air Force with a special company-strong subunit of Tajikistan’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) on board is flying to Almaty, Kazakhstan today.
This company that is part of mobile subunits of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is representing Tajikistan in a multinational anti-terror drill that is taking is kicking off in Kazakhstan tomorrow.
The exercise, which takes place under the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), will last till September 25, Faridoun Mahmadaliyev, a spokesman for MoD, said.
According to him, the SCO command-and-staff drill, dubbed Peace Mission 2010, aims to demonstrate SCO member nations’ determination and capacity to combat terrorism and extremism, showcase their mutual trust and cooperation, and the shared wish to protect regional peace and stability, the source said.
Tajik Defense Minister Sherali Khairulloyev is also expected to attend the drill that will involve more than 5,000 troops from China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan.
The drill will be the seventh of its kind. The chiefs of staff of the armed forces of the participating countries will announce the launch of the drill in Almaty in Kazakhstan, and defense ministers from the SCO member countries will observe the military exercises.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization groups China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
