TSAMTO, July 28. The surge in terrorist activity in Afghanistan against the background of the hasty withdrawal of foreign troops from this country and the rapid degradation of the situation require appropriate measures to be taken.
This, as RIA Novosti reports, was stated by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
"Today, joint work on neutralizing threats from the territory of neighboring Afghanistan is coming to the fore. The hasty withdrawal of foreign troops from there provoked a rapid degradation of the situation, an increase and a surge in terrorist activity. This situation requires appropriate measures to be taken. Such work is already underway, " Sergei Shoigu said at talks with Tajik Defense Minister Sherali Mirzo in Dushanbe.
According to the head of the Russian military department, a number of joint exercises have been planned both on a bilateral basis and within the framework of the CSTO to work out actions to repel terrorist threats in the Afghan direction, and other measures are being taken.
"Additional gratuitous supplies of Russian weapons and equipment have been organized to equip the Tajik army. We continue to train qualified Tajik military personnel. We train them both in our military universities and at the 201st Russian military base in Tajikistan. We provide everything necessary for combat training. We are paying increased attention to strengthening the combat potential of our base and clarifying plans to jointly repel the possible penetration of militants, "RIA Novosti quotes Sergei Shoigu.
He stressed that the Russian side is ready "to provide any necessary support to Tajik friends," the agency notes.