Four-day military exercises for reservists from Khatlon province have been launched in seven garrisons of Khatlon province, Faridoun Mahmadalizoda, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense (MoD), told Asia-Plus today morning.

According to him, the exercises involving reservists, local police, and civilian support services are taking place in accordance with the plan of cooperation between the defense ministries of Tajikistan and Russia.

“More than 40,000 reserve officers and reserve soldiers from 25 cities and districts of Khatlon as well as servicemen of the Tajik Ministry of Defense and Russian military base deployed in Tajikistan are participating in the exercises, which are being conducted at the Harbmaidon, Momirak, Fakhrobod, Jairali, Halqayor, Homiyon and Lohour training grounds,” Mahmadalizoda said.  

The Tajik Defense Ministry is represented by subunits of motor-rifle and paratroopers brigades airborne, tanks and artillery and the Russian Armed Forces are represented by sub-units of Russia’s Central Military District, Russian military base deployed in Tajikistan as well as front-line and combat aviation.

The purpose of the exercises is to rehearse organization of territorial defense, mobilization of reservists as well as coordination and interaction in anti-terror missions, Tajik defense ministry spokesman said.