TASHKENT, Aug 3 (NNN-TASS) – The Uzbek and Russian armed forces, started a joint military training drill “South-2021” in southern Uzbekistan, near Uzbekistan’s border with Afghanistan, the Uzbek Defence Ministry said, yesterday.
The main purpose of the drill, which will continue till Aug 8, is to improve cooperation between the military forces of the two countries, and exchange experiences on security issues, the press service of the ministry said.
The drill comes at a time as the security situation in neighbouring Afghanistan has deteriorated in recent months.
Earlier yesterday, the Uzbek Defence Ministry said, it sent a tactical group to neighbouring Tajikistan, to participate in the Russian-Tajik-Uzbek joint military exercises, held at the Harb-Maidon training ground in Tajikistan.
The trilateral exercises consist of tasks aimed at countering external threats, with the main goal of strengthening stability in the Central Asia region, preventing potential threats and exchanging experiences, the Uzbek Defence Ministry said.– NNN-TASS
