BISHKEK. Aug 2 (Interfax-AVN) - The Kyrgyz Armed Forces will not let extremist gangs invade the country from abroad, Defense Minister Esen Topoyev told reporters on Friday.
"This year, the Armed Forces are assigned the mission to prevent gangs of international terrorists from penetrating the country," he said.
There is a threat of small rebel gangs crossing into Central Asia from Afghanistan, as the operation against terrorists is still incomplete, the minister noted. "That is why various groups of fighters from Al Qaeda, the Taliban movement or the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan will search for retreat routes, and nations of the region must tap possible channels of their penetration," he said.
Topoyev did not make public precise information on the strength of rebels, but said that a grouping of up to 300 people were staying in the Afghan province of Badakhshan and up to 1,500 people under command of Takhir Yuldashev in the provinces of Paktika and Paktia.
The armed forces of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are planning to inspect border areas of the two nations soon in order to maintain security in the regions. The inspection will take place in the framework of interdepartmental agreements and accords in the framework of the Collective Security Treaty.