Kabulov explains reasons for increasing Russian military forces in Tajikistan

RF President’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan said the current situation was a response to the concerns raised by the partners in Central Asia.

On May 24, RF President’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov explained why Russia was building up its military presence in Tajikistan in his interview with the Sputnik News Agency. He said the main reason was the concerns raised by the partners in Central Asia.

He said it was not the Taliban (the movement is banned in Russia) that posed a major threat to the region, but other militant groups operating in the IRA. He emphasised that the Tajik military opposition organisations, deployed in border areas, were able to undermine stability in the Central Asian states.

Noting that Russia had Military Base 201 in Tajikistan, Kabulov stressed that terrorist groups were not posing an immediate threat now, but this did not mean that we could relax.

He said the authorities of the Russian Federation and the Central Asian states should continue to strengthen and train their armed forces. The presence of Russia’s armed forces in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan was a stabilizing factor, he added.

On May 19, following the meeting with his Tajik counterpart Sirojiddin Mukhriddin, RF Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov said the Russian Federation was going to build a border outpost on the Tajik-Afghan border.

26 май 2021, 11:33
Photo source: sputnik.tj

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