DUSHANBE, January 29, 2013, Asia-Plus — Female military personnel are expected to be on a military parade dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the formation of Tajikistan’s Armed Forces that will be held in Dushanbe on February 23.
“They are officers from the central body of the Ministry of Defense (MoD),” Faridoun Mahmadaliyev, a spokesman for the defense ministry, told Asia-Plus in an interview.
“Besides, officers from the counternarcotics agency, customs service, anticorruption agency and the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) will participate in the parade for the first time,” the spokesman noted.
In all, 10,000 servicemen of Tajikistan’s power wielding structures will be on the military parade in Dushanbe on February 23, he said.
Tajik Defense Minister, Colonel-General Sherali Khairulloyev, and Commander of the Dushanbe Garrison, Major-General Latif Fayziyev, are expected to command the parade.
Tajik National Army Day has been marked on February 23 since 1993.
Tajikistan”s National Army now consists of Air and Air Defense Forces, Land Forces and Mobile Forces. The Mobile Force of Tajik Army was founded in 2005 without increase in a total strength of the country’s armed forces. Air and Air-Defense Forces were also united in 2005. Tajikistan’s armed forces also include National Guard and Security Forces (internal and border troops).
Unlike the other former Soviet states of Central Asia, Tajikistan did not form armed forces based upon former Soviet units on its territory. Instead, the Russian Ministry of Defense took control of the Dushanbe-based 201st Motor Rifle Division; actually control simply shifted from the former district headquarters in Tashkent, which was in now-independent Uzbekistan, to Moscow.
