ASTANA. May 19 (Interfax) - Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have held the active stage of the Kalkan 2023 joint tactical special exercise at the Angren alpine training range in Uzbekistan's Tashkent region, Kazakhstan's Defense Ministry's press service said in a statement on Friday.
A joint headquarters commanded the exercise, the press service said.
"According to the exercise scenario, illegal armed formations in one of the countries are trying to expand their influence zone. The armed clashes between groups involved in drug trafficking leads to the further escalation of tensions. There have been attempts to create bases and arms and ammunition caches in the alpine parts of the neighboring country with a view of securing drug trafficking routes. The destructive forces are especially active in the Angren area. Attacks on border guards have been recorded," the press service said.
"In a situation characterized as a low-intensity conflict, a mixed detachment of Kazakhstani and Uzbekistani special forces, jointly with combined-arms units of the military district, conducted a special operation to detect and destroy illegal armed formations in the border areas," the statement said.
The drills involved tightening border security, as well as actions of sniper team to destroy small enemy groups in a border strip. Reconnaissance groups provided support for the movement of core units to deployment areas.
"Air and artillery strikes were delivered to support battalion tactical groups targeting the enemy's core forces. The application in combat of reserve forces and systems was tested. The operation concluded with the withdraw of the battalion tactical groups and anti-retreat unit to a cover area," the statement said.
A total of 60 troops, including army and military-transport aviation units and Parachute Training Center specialists, were involved in the exercise.
The aim of the exercise is to work out a single algorithm of command bodies in the run-up to and during a joint operation and to practice aspects of interaction during joint action.