DUSHANBE, July 10, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- A week-long large-scale operational and tactical exercise, dubbed Hifz-2012 (Protection 2012), is concluding at the Tem training ground on the outskirts of the city of Khorog, the administrative center of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO or Gorno Badakhshan) today.

Faridoun Mahmadaliyev, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense (MoD), says the exercise comprising servicemen from the Khorog garrison, sub-units of the power-wielding structures deployed in Gorno Badakhshan and local law enforcement agencies has included simulated combat maneuvers in mountainous terrain.

According to him, Minister of Defense Sherali Khairulloyev and heads of some power-wielding structures of the country are observing the last phase of exercise.

The First Deputy Minister of Defense, Lieutenant-General Ramil Nadyrov, who is also Head of the MoD General Staff, is in overall command of the war game that involves infantry units along with armored vehicles and ground-attack aircraft, the spokesman said.