DUSHANBE, January 4, 2016, Asia-Plus – Russia does not plan to deploy a full-fledged military contingent in Tajikistan for protection of its common border with Afghanistan in connection with Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)’s threat, but it does not rule out the use of collation group of [armed] forces of Moscow and Dushanbe in case of necessity, the Director of the Russian MFA 3rd Department of CIS nations, Alexander Sternik, was quoted as saying by Russian news agency Interfax.
Russian official reportedly noted that the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) was working out measures to strengthen the Tajik-Afghan border.
“These measures were discussed at a session of the CSTO Security Council that took place in Moscow on December 21. We admit the possibility of using the coalition group of troops of Russia and Tajikistan in case of necessity,” Sternik was quoted as saying.
The Russian military base deployed in Tajikistan is Russia”s largest non-naval military facility outside the country. It was officially opened in Tajikistan in 2004 under a previous agreement, which was signed in 1993, and hosts Russia’s largest military contingent deployed abroad. A total of some 7,000 Russian troops are now stationed at two military facilities collectively known as the 201st military base – in Dushanbe and Qurghon Teppa, some 100 kilometers from Dushanbe.
The base includes Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters that are based at the Ayni military airfield near Dushanbe. Under an agreement signed in October 2012, Russian troops are allowed to remain stationed in Tajikistan until 2042.
Russian officials have announced plans to increase the number of troops stationed in Tajikistan to 9,000 over the next five years and provide more military equipment through 2020.
