DUSHANBE, August 9, Asia-Plus - On Tuesday August 8, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan launched a joint counterterrorism and counternarcotics exercises dubbed “Marzbon 2006.”

Uzbekistan’s uzereport.com news agency reports the exercises involve border guards, the defense, interior, emergencies ministries of all five participating countries, as well as their migration services and drug enforcement agencies.    

According to the source, the exercises scenario is based on preventing terrorists and illegal migrants from crossing into territories of countries participating in the exercises, as well s preventing trafficking in drugs and weapons.  

Source in the Tajik border service has confirmed this information but refrained from giving further details of the exercises.