KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Russian and Tajik military contingents conducted a four-day joint training exercise at the Kharb-Maidon training ground in Tajikistan, located about 20 kilometers from Afghanistan’s northern border.
The Russian state news agency, TASS, reported that the military exercise, set to run until April 18, involves preparing and executing joint operations in mountainous terrain. These operations are designed to eliminate armed gangs attempting to infiltrate Central Asian countries.
The news agency quoted Russia’s Defense Ministry, saying, “the Russian military contingent involved in the drills largely comprises personnel of the 201st military base in Tajikistan, in particular, mountain, motor rifle, tank, artillery and reconnaissance units and crews of Mi-24 attack helicopters and Mi-8MTV5-1 transport/combat helicopters.”
According to the report, the drills will also involve specialists in radiation, chemical, and biological protection, UAV operators, and mobile electronic warfare groups.
The Taliban’s support for international terrorist organizations and regional insurgent groups, particularly their harboring of such groups in Afghanistan, remains a significant concern for the global community, especially regional countries.
Despite engaging with the Taliban, these countries closely monitor the activities of terrorist groups operating under the regime’s authority, consistently expressing their concerns to senior Taliban authorities.
In the past two years, both Russian and Tajikistani authorities have consistently voiced concerns regarding terrorism and drug trafficking flowing from Afghanistan into their respective territories.
In late February of this year, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the situation in Central Asian countries remains complicated due to the threats originating from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
Mr. Shoigu noted that the Islamic State (ISIS) has increased the strength of its supporters by 15% last year.
“The Islamic State terror group seeks to spread radical ideas in Central Asia and carry out sabotage activities along the southern borders of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO),” he said. “Their main goal is to spread radical ideas and carry out sabotage activities along the CSTO’s southern borders,” he added.
Tajikistan, the only regional country without any diplomatic ties to the Taliban, is primarily concerned about Jamiat Ansarullah, also known as the Tajik Taliban. This insurgent group operates from Afghanistan with the goal of overthrowing the Tajikistan government and establishing an Islamic emirate.
In September of last year, Tajikistan’s state news agency, Khovar, reported that militants belonging to Jamiat Ansarullah launched an attack equipped with advanced weaponry from Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province into Tajikistan. However, Tajik security forces successfully neutralized them.
Furthermore, Tajik officials have repeatedly called on the Taliban to form an inclusive government and warned that the country would not recognize the group as Afghanistan’s new rulers if it undermines “the interests of ethnic Tajiks and other minorities.”
Russia and Central Asian countries have previously conducted similar military exercises in northern Afghanistan, expressing concern over the potential infiltration of terrorist groups from northern parts of Afghanistan into Central Asia.
However, the Taliban have denied the presence of any terrorist groups, including IS-KP, in Afghanistan. They claim to have suppressed IS-KP, asserting that Afghanistan poses no threat to other countries.
