This fall, Tajikistan will host joint anti-terrorism exercises organized by the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Anti-Terrorist Center (ATC) of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The MTRC Mir reports that the announcement was made by CSTO Secretary-General Imangali Tasmagambetov during a meeting of heads of competent authorities from CIS countries in Moscow.
Tasmagambetov reportedly stated that this will be the first time CSTO and ATC conduct coordinated anti-terrorism maneuvers, aimed at improving cooperation in countering terrorism. The exercises, which will take place in Tajikistan under the name "Indestructible Brotherhood-2025," will address joint counter-terrorism strategies and border security. The exercise will focus on detecting and preventing the movement of terrorist fighters across state borders.
Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) Director Alexander Bortnikov, addressing the meeting participants, highlighted the security threats facing the CIS region, particularly those arising from increased instability in the Middle East, Africa, and the Afghanistan-Pakistan zone, as well as Central Asia. He noted that leaders of international terrorist organizations are increasingly relying on fighters operating in Afghanistan and Syria, as well as on terrorists freed from Syrian prisons—citizens from Russia, Central Asia, and the South Caucasus—who are openly announcing their hostile intentions against their countries of origin.
According to the FSB, in 2024, law enforcement agencies and special services across the CIS managed to identify over 5,500 terrorists and extremists, preventing 550 terrorist and extremist crimes within the Commonwealth. More than 1,500 individuals were brought to justice.
Bortnikov also emphasized the success of the ATC-led system for coordinating anti-terrorism cooperation, which effectively mobilizes the forces and resources of CIS intelligence agencies. The ATC's work in intergovernmental law enforcement coordination, using specialized databases, led to the capture of over 900 terrorists and the identification of more than 800 individuals involved in financing criminal activities.
Special services plan to improve the international legal framework for counter-terrorism, enhance information sharing between relevant agencies, and update training programs for personnel in the field of counter-terrorism.
The joint drills are seen as a significant step in strengthening regional security cooperation and tackling the growing threat of international terrorism in Central Asia.
The CSTO is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan, with the primary goal of protecting member states from external armed aggression. In 2024, Armenia suspended its participation in the bloc and announced its intention to withdraw.
The CIS Anti-Terrorism Center (ATC-CIS) is a permanent specialized institution within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). It serves to coordinate the cooperation of CIS security agencies and special services in the fight against terrorism and extremism.
