DUSHANBE. April 1 (Interfax-AVN) - The Collective Rapid Deployment Forces in Central Asia will hold the South-anti-terror exercise in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in mid-April, commander of the forces Major General Sergei Chernomordin told Interfax- Military News Agency on Monday.
"Participants in the exercise will practice aspects of combat interaction between control bodies, headquarters and subordinate units in case of a threat from abroad," Chernomordin said.
In accordance with the training plan approved in August last year the exercise will not involve the Kazakh party. Kyrgyzstan will be represented by a company.
Apart from the forces the training will involve special units of law-enforcement agencies from Central Asian and other CIS nations. They will practice methods and types of combating groups of international terrorists that have captured people at a strategic installation.
The final stage of the exercise will take place at a proving range near the city of Kulyab in Tajikistan. It envisages live firing of Russian and Tajik battalions included in the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces and taking part in the exercise.
The Collective Rapid Deployment Forces were established on May 25, 2001, in line with a decision of heads of state of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, which are members of the Collective Security Treaty. The forces comprise some 13,000 servicemen.
Chernomordin was appointed commander of the forces at a session of the Collective Security Council in Yerevan on May 25, 2001. The forces are headquartered in Bishkek.