Tajik and Afghan border officers complete OSCE course on field operational capacities

On 20 September 2019, 15 Tajik and ten Afghan border officials successfully completed a four-week training course on field operational capacities in Dushanbe. It was conducted in the framework of the project Patrol Field Capacity Building of the Tajik Border Troops through Promotion of Regional Co-operation.

The training covered topics on map reading, mountaineering, and provision of first aid in the field. The participants also enhanced their knowledge on planning and conducting border patrolling with the use of topographical maps, satellite imagery, developing patrol planning and management techniques and mountaineering. Five instructors from the Tajik Border Troops, having already completed the OSCE relevant training courses, conducted the sessions.

The course also featured sessions on gender mainstreaming and human rights provided by human dimension experts from the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, as well as demining awareness lessons delivered by experts from the Office’s Demining Unit.

The graduation ceremony was opened by the Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, Valeriu Chiveri, who congratulated the border officers on the successful completion of the course. He also thanked the international community and the Tajik border troops for the support and co-operation in border protection activities: “The OSCE will continue its support to the Tajik Border Troops through delivery of tactical trainings in the four Regional Training Centres across the country situated close to the border areas.”

Colonel Sharifov Zafar, Head of the International Department of the Tajik Border Troops, stressed that: “The OSCE training course on sustained field operational capacities with the aim of enhancing the capacities of Tajik and Afghan border staff in detection and interdiction of illegal cross-border movements provides an opportunity for officers of both countries to find mutual understanding in the protection of state borders.”

Colonel Muhammad Mustafo Nuristani, Military Attaché from Afghan Embassy in Dushanbe, said: “Afghan security and defense forces are on the front line against international terrorism. I believe that safe borders can play an important role in preventing or reducing the threats which are caused by terrorism.”

This is the seventh training course since the project started in 2018. The previous six training courses were conducted in regional border troops training centers in Khatlon, Sugd and GBAO regions. The overall number of trained border officials is 174: 164 Tajik and ten Afghan border officers.