A platoon of the Ministry of Defense of Tajikistan participated in a multinational peacekeeping exercise, dubbed Steppe Eagle 19, which was conducted in Kazakhstan on June 17-27, according to the Ministry of Defense (MoD).

An official source a MoD says a Tajik military delegation that took place in Exercise Steppe Eagle 19 was led by Deputy Commander of the Mobile Forces of the Armed Forces of Tajikistan, Colonel Nouriddin Sattorov.

According to him, soldiers trained on checkpoints and convoy operations, countering improvised explosive devices, restoring public order; providing medical support, and performing civil-military operations.  

Meanwhile, US Army Central says five nations – Kazakhstan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan – sent participants while India, Turkey, and Uzbekistan each sent observers to the exercise. 

The five participating nations divided into company-sized elements comprised of three Kazakhstani platoons, a Tajikistani platoon augmented by a British squad, and an American platoon to apply lessons learned in a field training scenario.  An American company commander took charge of the Americans, Tajikistanis, and British squad, and a Kazakhstani company commander directed all Kazakhstani forces.

The previous Steppe Eagle exercise was conducted in the United States in South Carolina, and next year’s Steppe Eagle is scheduled to occur in the United Kingdom.

Exercise Steppe Eagle is a premier multi-national exercise focusing on stability operations.  This is an annual, multi-national exercise conducted between U.S. Army Central, Kazakhstan's "KAZBAT" Peacekeeping Battalion, and the United Kingdom Armed Forces.

Tajikistan Peacekeeping Forces is one of foreign participants.

Military-to-military exercises, such as Exercise Steppe Eagle, are critical for developing tactical proficiency in multi-national stability operations, support to peacekeeping operations, and support to long-term regional stability.

Exercise Steppe Eagle promotes cooperation among the allies and partners, builds functional capacity, and enhances readiness through realistic, modern-day interactive scenarios.  The exercise brings coalition forces together to build better understanding, improve some mission command interoperability, enhance small unit force readiness, and demonstrate the nation's commitment to regional stability.  Exercise Steppe Eagle promotes common cultural and operational understanding, as well as the exchange of ideas and best practices.