At the Sogdian military training ground "Chorukhdayron", the first in the history of antiterrorist exercises of soldiers and officers of defense departments of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan began early this morning.

The exercise is supervised by the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Tajikistan, First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Republic Lieutenant-General Emomali Sobirzoda and Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan, Colonel Shavkat Ikramov, told “AP” from Sogd region by telephone the chief of the press center of the Ministry of Defense of Tajikistan Major Orif Nozimov.

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In the exercises, which will last until September 22, soldiers and officers of two states will work out the coordination of actions in conducting a joint anti-terrorist operation.

According to the legend, the Armed Forces of the two countries must surround and destroy a group of terrorists who have leaked from abroad and intend to destabilize the situation in the Ferghana Valley.

More than 100 soldiers and officers of the Uzbek army are involved in the exercises, who arrived in Sughd with their weapons and equipment. The Tajik army is represented by 500 soldiers and officers of the Sughd garrison.