Russia to help Tajikistan boost security along border with Afghanistan

Russia on Friday pledged to help Tajikistan build a new outpost on the Tajik-Afghan border and announced the two countries would hold major drills next month, Russia’s TASS news agency reported.

In addition, TASS reported that Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and his Tajik counterpart Sherali Mirzo on Saturday discussed joint measures to counter threats from the Taliban along the border.

“The parties discussed the situation in the Tajik-Afghan border area and joint measures to neutralize threats related to the escalating situation in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,” TASS quoted the Russian ministry as saying.

Russia operates a military base in Tajikistan, a former Soviet republic, whose government has expressed concern about the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan.

This comes after hundreds of Afghan servicemen crossed the border into Tajikistan earlier this month as they fled a Taliban offensive.

Kabul arranged special flights for the security force members to get them back to Afghanistan.

TASS meanwhile also reported that Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, will hold joint military drills close to the Tajik-Afghan border next month. Moscow has already started delivering new hardware to its Tajik base to reinforce it.