Anti-Terror Drills Held in Uzbekistan

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s member states have held anti-terror exercises entitled Vostok Antiterror 2012 in Uzbekistan, a source in the republic’s Defense Ministry said.

Special units from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan also took part in the drills, which were held on June 4-6 in Uzbekistan’s central Dzhizak Region, the source said.

“The drills aimed at practicing joint actions to neutralize threats of international terrorism, separatism and extremism,” the source said.

Earlier, Uzbek President Islam Karimov said that terrorist groups would become more active in countries neighboring Afghanistan once NATO withdraws its troops.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday proposed establishing an antiterrorism center within the SCO.

The SCO is a regional security grouping that comprises Russia, China, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Mongolia, India, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan have observer status.

 

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