DUSHANBE, September 7, Asia-Plus — French Defense Minister Herve Morin today morning made a stopover in Tajikistan on his way to Afghanistan, according to Tajik MFA.
French minister is currently meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.
The source at a MFA said that the two are expected to discuss issues related to redeployment of six French fighter jets Mirage to Afghanistan. After a meeting with President Rahmon, Herve Morin will leave Dushanbe for Kabul, according to the source.
As it had been reported earlier, six fighter jets Mirage of France’s Air Force that have been based at the Dushanbe main airport will be relocated to Afghanistan. The jets are expected to be relocated to Kandahar in Afghanistan already in October. 150 military personnel, including pilots and technicians, will also be relocated to Afghanistan together with the jets.
Olivier Shaterlais, First Adviser, French Embassy in Dushanbe, told Asia-Plus that it does not mean that French Air Force’s contingent will curtail its activity in Tajikistan. “Some 300-350-strong military contingent and three military transport planes Transal will remain in Tajikistan and the contingent’s base at the Dushanbe airport will be used as usual as transit base on the way to Afghanistan,” Shaterlais said.
Some French media reported that the first three French fighter jets will be relocated from Tajikistan to Afghanistan in late September and three others in mid-October. According to Le Parisien, this move is aimed at creating conditions for more intensive patrol of southern Afghanistan, which is considered to be stronghold of the Taliban Movement.
France has been using a base at the Dushanbe airport for operations in Afghanistan since 2001. We will recall that Mirages have been based at the Dushanbe airport since May 2006, supporting operations by NATO”s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in neighboring Afghanistan. France currently has an estimated 450- strong military contingent, six fighter jets Mirage and three military transport planes Transal.
