CIS anti-terror police drills held in Tajikistan

ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow
22 Apr 06

Magov Gorge (Tajikistan), 22 April: Special subdivisions from the
interior ministries of CIS member states have worked on actions in
Tajikistan’s mountains on destroying a bandit group. Special-purpose
police detachments from the interior ministries of Russia (Rys
[Lynx]), Belarus (Almaz [Diamond]), Tajikistan, as well as regiments
from Armenia participated in large-scale drills which took place in
the Magov Gorge near Dushanbe today [22 April].

According to the scenario of the exercise, several terrorist groups
numbering up to 45 people entered Tajikistan from its neighbours.
Their purpose was to carry out a series of explosions at the Nurek
hydroelectric power station, the Tajik Aluminum Plant and the Yovon
electrochemical plant. The militants seized an arms depot, which was
hidden in places of former battles, and took several farmers hostage.

About 400 officers from special-purpose units participated in a
special operation, during which the bandit group was destroyed and
the hostages were freed.

In all, about 700 police officers from CIS member countries took part
in the drills. It is noteworthy that a former militant, who joined
the Russian troops and is now serving in the Tajik Interior Ministry,
led the “terrorist” group.

The drills took place 45 km from Dushanbe, in the Magov Gorge, the
name of which is translated from one of the Tajik dialects as
thickets, an impassable place.

Russian Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev highly assessed the
coordination and professionalism of the participants in the drills.
He said that “the scenario of the exercise was based on real events
which took place in the early 90s of the past century, when hordes of
terrorists attempted to carry out terrorist acts in Tajikistan”.

“These are the first joint drills which took place within the
framework of the session of the CIS Council of Interior Ministers.
This once again confirms that a threat of terrorism is the most
sensitive theme, and we will be able to stop criminals only by means
of joint efforts, and thus ensure stability and security in our
countries,” Nurgaliyev emphasized.