Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and the head of the Tajik military department Sherali Mirzo discussed the situation on the Tajik-Afghan border, the press service of the Russian Defense Ministry reported on July 24.
"During the talks, the parties discussed the situation in the Tajik-Afghan border area and joint measures to neutralize threats related to the aggravation of the situation in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan," [...] the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
On July 23, it became known that Tajikistan initiated the largest check of the combat readiness of its law enforcement agencies in the country's history against the background of the actions of the Taliban group banned in Russia in neighboring Afghanistan. The exercises will be held at the training ground in the Khatlon region from August 5 to 10 with the participation of the Russian military.
The Russian authorities at the highest level have already promised to provide assistance to the CSTO ally in the event of an attack by extremist groups. As the sources of Izvestia in the military department emphasize, the exercises of Russia and Tajikistan are not aggressive in nature, their purpose is to check the readiness of forces and means in case of further complication of the situation in Afghanistan. The basis of the Russian contingent at the exercise will be the units of the 201st military base, the largest military facility of Russia outside its borders. The base is located in Dushanbe and Bokhtar, it includes motorized rifle, tank, artillery, reconnaissance units, air defense units, RCBZ and communications.
In Afghanistan, against the background of the withdrawal of the American military contingent from the country, there is a tense situation, the confrontation of government forces with the militants of the Taliban movement (banned in Russia) is intensifying, who have seized significant territories in rural areas and launched an offensive on major cities.
In particular, on July 9, it became known that the Taliban entered the second largest city of Afghanistan — Kandahar, several civilians were killed and injured. At the same time, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, pointed out that Moscow notes a sharp increase in tension on the Afghan-Tajik border, two-thirds of which was taken under the control of the Taliban. According to her, there have been cases of Afghan security forces crossing into Tajik territory.
On July 22, it was reported that about 90% of the borders of Afghanistan are controlled by the Taliban. On the same day, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Andrey Rudenko said that Russia will help Tajikistan free of charge in the construction of an outpost on the border with Afghanistan free of charge, <url> reports. The assistance will be provided within the framework of the 2013 decision of the CSTO Collective Security Council on strengthening the Tajik-Afghan border.
On July 24, the United States, the European Union and NATO member states called on the Taliban to stop the armed offensive in Afghanistan, as well as to allow the provision of humanitarian aid to areas under their control.
The United States and its allies must withdraw their troops from Afghanistan by September 11 this year.
