Tajik peace-keepers to take part in UN exercises in Mongolia
DUSHANBE – Next month, Tajikistan for the first time will take part in the multi-national Khaan Quest peace-keeping exercises in Mongolia.
Tajik soldiers in June march in Dushanbe. The country would benefit from participating in the Khaan Quest peace-keeping exercise, scheduled for August in Mongolia, officials say. [Nadin Bahrom]
"Almost every country with peace-keeping units will be participating in the Mongolian exercise," Lt. Col. Tokhir Khairulloyev said. "[Mongolia] has a strong reputation and experience in peace-keeping missions, and to this day its troops are participating in such missions. We're lucky to be able to learn from the experience of countries like Mongolia and Nepal."
Tajikistan formed a peace-keeping battalion in 2010, drawing members from the country's mobile troops, and the country last year began participating in international peace-keeping exercises, he said.
"Steppe Eagle-2012 was held in Kazakhstan," Khairulloyev said, noting that the NATO Partnership for Peace effort was the country's first international exercise. "We also had 20 men take part in [the Collective Security Treaty Organisation exercise] Unbreakable Brotherhood-2012. Those exercises were specifically meant for junior officers, and we Tajiks have a certain reputation in this respect. Even in these exercises, we were told that they didn't expect us to be so prepared."
This year, the Tajik peace-keeping battalion intends to participate in three international exercises: Khaan Quest (August 3-14), which will draw 30 Tajiks; 25 will participate in Steppe Eagle-2013 (August 10-23) in Kazakhstan; and a third exercise is planned for October.
Tajikistan hasn't hosted any peace-keeping exercises yet, he said, but the country hopes to do that someday.
"Our battalion has only just been formed, and Tajikistan does not [yet] have the necessary experience," he added. "But we are improving, and every year, we become stronger by participating in such exercises."
However, it has the pre-requisites, including Fakhrabad, a special-forces base suitable for such purposes.
Ready to help others
International exercises are highly beneficial because they help train Tajiks prevent security problems, Ismoil Talbakov, a lower-chamber Tajik MP, said.
"Prevention is better than coming down with the disease, and these exercises are a form of prevention," he said, adding that every country should hold such exercises to master its own security situation.
"If they don't hold exercises, when they find themselves in an emergency, how will they be able to protect the security of the state?" Talbakov asked.
Tajikistan has been secure and at peace since its civil war ended in 1997, independent security scholar Parviz Mullojanov said, adding that's why Tajik forces now are capable of participating in international peace-keeping. The peace-keeping battalion is an elite force that stands out from other parts of the army, he added.
Tajikistan has the experience for such missions and exercises, an army veteran, Mahdi Sobirov, agreed.
"The Tajik army was created during the civil war, and it has suitable experience," he said. "We can carry out any kind of operation. We hope that in the future Tajikistan will become an international peace-keeping power. The invitation to such a level of exercise shows that Tajikistan is rising from an [obscure] mountain district to international stature."
Tajik soldiers in June march in Dushanbe. The country would benefit from participating in the Khaan Quest peace-keeping exercise, scheduled for August in Mongolia, officials say. [Nadin Bahrom]
"Almost every country with peace-keeping units will be participating in the Mongolian exercise," Lt. Col. Tokhir Khairulloyev said. "[Mongolia] has a strong reputation and experience in peace-keeping missions, and to this day its troops are participating in such missions. We're lucky to be able to learn from the experience of countries like Mongolia and Nepal."
Tajikistan formed a peace-keeping battalion in 2010, drawing members from the country's mobile troops, and the country last year began participating in international peace-keeping exercises, he said.
"Steppe Eagle-2012 was held in Kazakhstan," Khairulloyev said, noting that the NATO Partnership for Peace effort was the country's first international exercise. "We also had 20 men take part in [the Collective Security Treaty Organisation exercise] Unbreakable Brotherhood-2012. Those exercises were specifically meant for junior officers, and we Tajiks have a certain reputation in this respect. Even in these exercises, we were told that they didn't expect us to be so prepared."
This year, the Tajik peace-keeping battalion intends to participate in three international exercises: Khaan Quest (August 3-14), which will draw 30 Tajiks; 25 will participate in Steppe Eagle-2013 (August 10-23) in Kazakhstan; and a third exercise is planned for October.
Tajikistan hasn't hosted any peace-keeping exercises yet, he said, but the country hopes to do that someday.
"Our battalion has only just been formed, and Tajikistan does not [yet] have the necessary experience," he added. "But we are improving, and every year, we become stronger by participating in such exercises."
However, it has the pre-requisites, including Fakhrabad, a special-forces base suitable for such purposes.
Ready to help others
International exercises are highly beneficial because they help train Tajiks prevent security problems, Ismoil Talbakov, a lower-chamber Tajik MP, said.
"Prevention is better than coming down with the disease, and these exercises are a form of prevention," he said, adding that every country should hold such exercises to master its own security situation.
"If they don't hold exercises, when they find themselves in an emergency, how will they be able to protect the security of the state?" Talbakov asked.
Tajikistan has been secure and at peace since its civil war ended in 1997, independent security scholar Parviz Mullojanov said, adding that's why Tajik forces now are capable of participating in international peace-keeping. The peace-keeping battalion is an elite force that stands out from other parts of the army, he added.
Tajikistan has the experience for such missions and exercises, an army veteran, Mahdi Sobirov, agreed.
"The Tajik army was created during the civil war, and it has suitable experience," he said. "We can carry out any kind of operation. We hope that in the future Tajikistan will become an international peace-keeping power. The invitation to such a level of exercise shows that Tajikistan is rising from an [obscure] mountain district to international stature."
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