OSCE course assists Tajik Border Troops' Special Units in enhancing skills to secure the Tajik-Afghan border

On 5 July 2024, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (the Office), in co-operation with Tajikistan’s Border Troops, concluded a one-month training course titled "Sustaining Field Operational Capacities" (SFOC). The course, which took place from 10 June to 5 July, was led by a national expert and supported by five assistant instructors from the Tajik Border Troops. They leveraged local expertise while fostering sustainable internal training capacities.

Twenty-five officers from the Special Units of Tajikistan’s Border Troops improved their skills relevant to securing the 1,374 km-long Tajik-Afghan border. The course, held in the Border Troops Detachment in Qal'ai Khumb, Darvoz of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), covered various topics including map reading, land navigation, pathfinding, reconnaissance and security operations, reporting, first aid, night observation, alpine/mountaineering, gender and human rights-sensitive border security operations, and risk assessment. The participants were also introduced to Google Earth Pro geospatial mapping and analysis software to help plan tactical-level border security operations.

Since the course began in 2018, a total of 715 officers of the Special Units of the Tajik Border Troops have completed the SFOC. Additionally, over 70 course graduates have returned to serve as assistant instructors for the SFOC course, aiding in conducting internal trainings on these important skills.

During the 5 July graduation, Jon Casey, the project manager responsible for the SFOC course and the PFCB2 project emphasized the importance of practical skills training, such as that taught in the SFOC, in building the capacity of the Tajik Border Troops to conduct safe and effective border security operations, particularly along Tajikistan’s geographically complex and often hazardous border with Afghanistan. He reiterated the OSCE’s commitment to helping build the capacity of the Tajik Border Troops to effectively secure the Afghan border and respond appropriately to the security threats and humanitarian challenges arising from Afghanistan. As the Tajik-Afghan border comprises more than 60% of the OSCE Region’s entire border with Afghanistan, Tajikistan’s border security is crucial for the overall security of Tajikistan, Central Asia, and the wider OSCE Region.

SFOC training is conducted within the framework of the 2nd phase of the Project “Patrol Field Capacity Building of the Tajik Border Troops (PFCB2)” financed by France, the United States, and Germany and implemented by the Office. The course is part of the Office’s multi-year efforts to support Tajikistan’s border security response capabilities.