MOSCOW. July 17 (Interfax) - Units of the Tajik and Russian Armed Forces will hold their first joint army drills in the Pamir Mountains, the press service of the Tajik Defense Ministry told Interfax on Monday.
Up to 10,000 Tajik and Russian servicemen, officers of the border service, and reserve servicemen will take part in the drills, which will be led by Defense Minister Col. Gen. Sherali Mirzo in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan on July 17-20.
About a hundred armored vehicles, aircraft, and military vehicles will be involved in the maneuvers, the press service said.
"According to the script of the drills, numerous armed terrorist groups are trying to break into Tajikistan from Afghanistan. The terrorists' breakthrough attempt was partially successful. The personnel's mission in the drills is to rebuff attacks and eliminate the terrorists who infiltrated there," the Defense Ministry said.
Encircling and eliminating international terrorist groups, setting up territorial defense, and mobilizing officers and reserve soldiers will be practiced, it said.
"The Jelondi military range in the Shughnan district of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region will host the final stage of the drills," the Defense Ministry said.
On Monday, the headquarters of the 209th Corps of the Afghan army reported the deterioration of the situation in the districts of the Badakhshan province bordering Tajikistan, where militants of the Taliban (banned in Russia) attacked the central city of the Zebak district.
"During the battle, which lasted five hours, 25 Taliban militants were eliminated, including two militants from Tajikistan and two militant field commanders. Another 28 terrorists, including eight foreign citizens, most of whom are Tajik natives, were injured," the statement said.
According to the corps' headquarters, eight servicemen were killed and 11 injured.
"Extra governmental forces were dispatched to the area, and the enemy was pushed back from the district's central city," the headquarters said.