SpaceWar.com - Your World At War
Tajikistan tests combat readiness as Taliban advances
Dushanbe, Tajikistan, July 22 (AFP) Jul 22, 2021
Tajikistan on Thursday checked the combat readiness of its armed forces in the biggest such exercise in the country's history as the Taliban makes sweeping gains in neighbouring Afghanistan.

The 230,000 members of the Central Asian country's security forces were alerted for the test at 2:00 a.m. local time (2300 GMT Wednesday) on the order of President Emomali Rakhmon.

Dushanbe also relocated 20,000 troops to strengthen its force on the border with Afghanistan.

The Taliban in recent weeks have brought huge swathes of Afghanistan under their control as foreign troops draw down, including the main Shir Khan Bandar border crossing with Tajikistan.

The military inspection was the first of its kind in the ex-Soviet country's 30-year history.

It involved testing of all weapons used by the Tajik army -- including ground, aviation and artillery forces.

The operation was broadcast on Tajik state television and ended with a military parade headed by President Rakhmon in which he called on Tajiks to be "ready to defend the peace and stability" in the region.

"The situation in our neighbouring country -- the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan -- especially in its northern regions that border our country remains extremely complex and uncertain," Rakhmon said.

"It is getting more complicated day by day and even hour by hour," he said.

He called on the armed forces and law enforcement agencies to "ensure the highest level of combat readiness to prevent potential threats" and to "ensure the protection of the state border."

The Taliban's offensive has seen a stream of Afghans make their way across the border.

The test comes after Russia said it will stage military drills with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan near the border with Afghanistan next month.


ADVERTISEMENT




Space News from SpaceDaily.com
NASA raises chance for asteroid to hit moon
Tidal forces from the Sun may have shaped Mercury's tectonic features
Thick Martian clays may have formed in stable ancient lakebeds

24/7 Energy News Coverage
Israeli army says struck ' inactive nuclear reactor' in Iran's Arak
New Zealand targets leadership in superconducting space tech with new research alliance
ICEYE radar imaging added to SkyFi satellite data platform

Military Space News, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense
Axient joins Space Force STEP 20 initiative to drive next generation orbital tech
Trump 'Golden Dome' plan tricky and expensive: experts
Can NATO keep Trump on-message about Russia threat?

24/7 News Coverage
NASA scientists find ties between Earth's oxygen and magnetic field
How did life survive 'Snowball Earth'? In ponds, study suggests
Arctic warming spurs growth of carbon-soaking peatlands



All rights reserved. Copyright Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.