CSTO Collective Forces counter mock militant attack from Afghanistan
MOSCOW. May 20 (Interfax-AVN) - The Collective Security Treaty Organization's Collective Rapid Reaction Force (CSTO/CRRF) units have completed the active phase of snap combat-readiness checks at the Kharbmaidon training area in Tajikistan, CSTO spokesman Vladimir Zainetdinov told Interfax-AVN on Tuesday.
"As part of the general idea of the military operation, CSTO CRRF troops conducted the active stage of the practical snap drills, which consisted in repelling a mock enemy attack from Afghanistan," Zainetdinov said.
CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha, who watched the active phase of the snap drills, said that the Afghan threat coming from the presence of the Taliban and other armed rebel groups there remains in southern parts of the CSTO responsibility zone, the spokesman said.
"The complicated situation in Afghanistan was one of the reasons why the snap drills of the CSTO CRRF were held here," Bordyuzha said after the active phase was over.
As well as Talban, there are also representatives of the Islamic State in Afghanistan, which is certainly a worry for the CSTO heads of states, Bordyuzha said. Despite more than a decade-long presence of NATO forces in this country, Afghanistan has neither a good economy, nor proper living standards, and "there are difficulties in the military-political aspect," he said.
The CSTO members, including Russia, are helping Afghanistan to resolve some of its problems, including staff training, the secretary general said. "At the same time, CSTO cannot ignore the processes occurring in that country, and is taking steps to protect the CSTO southern borders," Bordyuzha said.
The exercise involves troops from Russia, Tajikistan, Belarus, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
In all, the special operation involves over 2,500 troops from the CSTO member states.
