DUSHANBE, November 1, 2010, Asia-Plus -- The Ministry of Defense (MoD) will set up mountain warfare training centers in the Rasht region, Faridoun Mahmadaliyev, a spokesman for a MoD, told Asia-Plus Monday afternoon.

According to him, these centers will conduct unit training courses to prepare military personnel for operations in mountain areas.

“Tajikistan is a mountain country and some 93 percent of the land lies above 1,500 meters above sea level, you know,” said the spokesman, “To-date, winter tents have been sent to the area for the future centers.  In the future, these tents will be replaced by modern buildings.  Skilled instructors from the Ministry of Defense will train military personnel to conduct combat missions in mountains.”

Asked about the current situation in the Rasht region, Mahmadaliyev noted that the country’s law enforcement authorities were currently hunting down members of two small separate illegal armed groups that have established themselves in Kamarob Gorge.  Servicemen of the Ministry of Defense and the National Guard are providing assistance to them in conducting operations, he added.