Russia and Pakistan end joint counter-terrorism drill near Afghan border
The ninth joint military exercise between Russia and Pakistan, focused on counter-terrorism operations, has ended in the Chitral area of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the Afghan border.
According to published information, the drill began on Sept. 22 and lasted about two weeks. Its stated aim was to exchange operational experience, strengthen counter-terrorism skills, and improve coordination and interoperability between the armed forces of the two countries.
Pakistani army special forces took part in the exercise alongside troops from Russia’s 201st Military Base, which belongs to the country’s Central Military District and is stationed in Tajikistan. The two sides practised counter-terrorism operations in difficult terrain and used military equipment and technology, including drones.
At the closing ceremony in Chitral, Russian Ambassador to Pakistan Albert P. Khorev praised the coordination between the two countries’ units and described the exercise as an opportunity to exchange experience, operational methods and military traditions.
According to the source, Russian troops participated under the command of Oleg Stetsyuk, deputy chief of staff of Russia’s Central Military District, while the Pakistani side included officials such as Muhammad Amir Najm, inspector general for training and evaluation, Ahmad Jawad, commander of special operations forces, and Muhammad Imran Aslam, commander of the Pakistan Army’s 22nd Special Forces Brigade.
The exercise comes as Moscow and Islamabad are also pursuing diplomatic consultations in the field of counter-terrorism. In June, the 12th meeting of the Russia-Pakistan joint working group on combating international terrorism was held in Islamabad, where the two sides discussed regional terrorist threats, especially those linked to Afghanistan.
