CSTO plans to reinforce Tajik-Afghan border

ANI
16 Sep 2021, 17:33 GMT+10

Dushanbe [Tajikistan] September 16 (ANI): The member nations of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) have decided to reinforce the Tajik-Afghan border amid the worsening security situation in Afghanistan.

The members have also decided to step up efforts to tackle the significant increase in drug trafficking and resist illegal migration on the border after the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, The Frontier Post reported citing a statement from the office of Russia's Security Council.

Plans were discussed for "reinforcing the Tajik-Afghan border, conducting special command staff military exercises and a special anti-drug operation and an inter-state operation to resist illegal migration on the CSTO's southern borders," the statement informed.

"Special attention was paid to the situation inside and around Afghanistan. A list of measures was approved to respond to the challenges to the security of Central Asian countries stemming from the risk of a likely aggravation of the terrorist threat," the statement added.

The developments came a few days after the Taliban announced a caretaker government in Afghanistan.

Alongside this development, the Russian military base in Tajikistan has also been reinforced with new machine guns.

A batch of 12.7-mm heavy machine guns NSV" Utes "entered service with the 201st Russian military base in Tajikistan to enhance its combat capabilities, The Frontier Post reported citing the press service of the Central Military District reports.

Earlier, Russian President Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov had expressed that the country is not planning to negotiate with the Taliban.

These remarks came from Russian President Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov when he was asked in what format it is planned to conduct negotiations with the Taliban and who will conduct this dialogue: the military or diplomats, The Frontier Post reported. (ANI)