DUSHANBE, September 17, 2009, Asia-Plus — The political situation has worsened in the northern provinces of Afghanistan that directly border Tajikistan, and therefore, we have to take adequate measures regarding defense capacity of member nations of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Tajik Deputy Defense Minister Ramil Nadyrov remarked today, while opening an operational training for the CSTO Central Asian group in Dushanbe.
“Operations that were recently carried out by the Afghan forces and international collation forces in Afghan Kunduz province that borders Tajikistan’s Khatlon province can cause the Taliban to spread into our territory, and therefore, we should be ready for such developments,” said Nadyrov, “Today’s operational training promotes preparation of the military organ of management of the CSTO member nations.”
According to him, the operational training includes staff drill and practical training. The exercise will close on September 25 with a final phase at the Lohour training grounds featuring live-fire missions, involving subunits of Tajikistan and the Russian Federation in the Central Asian group.
The Collective Rapid Deployment Forces (CRDF) of the Central Asian Region of Collective Security, also known as the Central Asian group, were established on May 25, 2001. They are a component of the current system of collective security, which is based on the regional principle and includes three regional military groups: Russian-Belarus group (Eastern European group); Russian-Armenian group (Caucasian group); and Central Asian group.
In the meantime, the September 15 item of EurasiaNet entitled “Central Asia: Rising Taliban Threat Prompt Regional Border Cooperation” notes that a joint operation, involving the border services of every Central Asian state except Turkmenistan, is underway. The operation aims to enhance security along Central Asia’s southern frontier in response to the rise of Islamic militant activity in northern Afghanistan. Operation “Milestones of the Fatherland-2009” is bringing together border troops from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Russia. Its stated purpose is to “suppress the infiltration [. . . ] of weapons, ammunition, narcotics and illegal migrants, as well as detect and suppress the activities of criminal groups and organizations engaged in illegal activities,” according to a press release from the Kyrgyz Border Service. A spokeswoman for the Border Service told EurasiaNet on September 15 details of the operation were being kept confidential until after it concludes on September 20.
Some experts now worry that the resurgence of the Taliban could cause Islamic militancy to spread across Afghanistan’s borders into Central Asians states, the article said, noting that a new draw for militants in the area may also be the development of the Northern Distribution Network (NDN), an American-led initiative to funnel supplies destined for Afghanistan via Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
