Afghanistan's border with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan is controlled by the Taliban, the CSTO must be ready for the possible infiltration of terrorists, said Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu, news.am informs, citing RIA Novosti.
Russia defense minister: CSTO must be prepared for possible infiltration of Taliban
STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 11, ARTSAKHPRESS: "It is important for us that the border with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan is also taken under the control of the Taliban. All the checkpoints and threats posed by Afghanistan in the past are drug trafficking, the infiltration of terrorists into our country through Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, and, of course, the threats do not diminish from that," he said.
Shoygu noted that it is important for Russia that its CSTO allies are ready for that. "That's why we do everything, of course," he added.
According to the Russian defense minister, the armed forces of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan should be ready to repel possible provocations by the Taliban, despite the latter’s assurances not to make such attempts.
Also, Sergey Shoygu reminded of the Russian military bases in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. "Most of the officers from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan are being trained in our higher education institutions. Also, we are engaged in modernizing the armies of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan," he said.
