DUSHANBE, May 30, 2011, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan will participate in an annual international peacekeeping exercise, dubbed “Steppe Eagle,” in Kazakhstan for the first time.
Faridoun Mahmadaliyev, a chief spokesman for the Ministry of Defense (MoD), says an operational group of the Tajik Defense Ministry will join Kazakh, Kyrgyz, US, British, and Lithuanian servicemen for the ninth annual “Steppe Eagle” peace keeping exercise.
“The purpose of the exercise that is scheduled to take place in Kazakhstan in August this year is to rehearse coordination and interaction in carrying out demining operations and peacekeeping missions as well as in discovering and neutralizing illegal armed gangs,” Mahmadaliyev said.
Launched in 2003, the annual “Steppe Eagle” program reportedly aims to promote coordination between Kazakh troops and NATO peacekeepers in carrying out peacekeeping missions as well as to raise practical skills of commanders on management of subunits and organize interaction between them in carrying out peacekeeping missions.
