Russia's 201st base will provide military assistance to Tajikistan if the country's security is threatened by events in neighboring Afghanistan, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday.
"Of course, we do not leave without attention all the events taking place on the border and attempts to move militants into Tajikistan's territory. That's why I can say unequivocally that in case of a threat to our ally, a member of the Collective Security Treaty, of course, Russia will respond and react first of all with the 201st base on the territory of Tajikistan," Shoigu told reporters.
"The 201st base exists here for that very purpose in order to maintain stability and calm in this region of one of the CSTO members in Central Asia," the Defense Minister said.
He said the Russian military is recording active movements of fighters of the terrorist group Islamic State (banned in Russia) into the territory of Afghanistan from various countries, including Syria and Libya.
"Of course, we very much hope that some kind of consensus and inter-ethnic reconciliation will be achieved in Afghanistan. But at the same time, we can see how actively ISIS units move there from different regions, including Syria and Libya. Moreover, in some parts we see that these movements are quite seriously organized," said Shoigu.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Creative Commons
Based on materials from TASS