MOSCOW, July 20./TASS/. The Russian military base stationed in Tajikistan is ready to repel potential aggression from Afghan terrorists, Russian Ambassador in Dushanbe Igor Lyakin-Frolov told Kommersant daily on Monday.
"In line with a respective agreement with Tajikistan, the 201st Russian military base is stationed in the republic, which is the guarantor of security and stability on the southern borders of the CSTO responsibility zone," the ambassador said. He expressed confidence that if necessary, the base "will repel any aggressive actions from Afghan terrorist organizations".
The military base helps Tajik partners "in training personnel of the republic’s Armed Forces". The Russian side "takes part in efforts to strengthen the Tajik-Afghan border," Lyakin-Frolov stressed.
He said that "Russia, as well as the CSTO in general, is ready to render necessary assistance to Tajikistan in case of evident aggressive actions from the Afghan territory". It is too early to speak about such reaction from the post-Soviet security bloc, the diplomat noted.
Afghanistan’s security situation deteriorated significantly in April after US President Joe Biden announced that the American armed forces’ operation there was coming to an end. As the Pentagon reported on July 13, 95% of the US’ troops have been withdrawn. Against this background, the Taliban movement, according to its representatives, managed to take control over about 85% of the republic’s territory including border regions with five countries - Iran, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
The flow of refugees to neighboring Tajikistan and Uzbekistan has been growing recently in connection with the worsening situation in Afghanistan. Tajikistan has let into its territory several hundred refugees from Afghanistan as well as hundreds of military who had to retreat after fights with the Taliban.