CIS Counter-Terrorism Center analyzes threats to Central Asia after ISAF pullout
BISHKEK. Oct 18 (Interfax) - The pullout of international forces from Afghanistan may turn northern areas of that country into a bridgehead of terrorist activity against Central Asian countries, said experts of the CIS Counter-Terrorism Center.
"Processes underway in [Afghan] northern provinces tend to turn northern Afghanistan into a bridgehead of terrorist activity against Central Asian countries," says the Center report obtained by Interfax on Thursday.
The Center held regional consultations with Central Asian counter-terrorism and counter-extremism services in Bishkek on October 17-18.
The participants put the emphasis on possible consequences of the upcoming pullout of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) from Afghanistan, the report said.
The experts said that amid the global geopolitical transformations Central Asia displayed a steady trend of radicalization of religious groups and mounting religious extremism.
"Forms and methods of terrorist activity and close bonds of terrorist and extremist organizations operating in Central Asia with international terrorist organizations and transnational organized criminal groups are obviously transforming," the report said.
In the opinion of experts, drug production and smuggling from Afghanistan are controlled by international criminal groups linked with terrorists, and drug business has turned into a major force with a colossal financial and technical potential.
The participants discussed the holding of CIS counter-terrorism exercises in Central Asia in 2013. Kyrgyzstan will host the training.