DUSHANBE, February 23, 2013, Asia-Plus  -- A military parade dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the formation of Tajikistan’s Armed Forces took place in Dushanbe on February 23.

It is to be noted that this year, female military personnel were on the military parade on the occasion of February 23.  They are officers from the central body of the Ministry of Defense (MoD).

Besides, officers from the counternarcotics agency, customs service, anticorruption agency and the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) participated in the parade this year for the first time. 

In all, 10,000 servicemen of Tajikistan’s power wielding structures were on the military parade in Dushanbe on February 23.

Tajik Defense Minister, Colonel-General Sherali Khairulloyev, and Commander of the Dushanbe Garrison, Major-General Latif Fayziyev, commanded the parade.

Twenty combat aircraft and helicopters flew over the Dousti Square on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the formation of Tajik National Army. 

Tajik National Army Day has been marked on February 23 since 1993.

Tajikistan''s National Army now consists of Air and Air Defense Forces, Land Forces and Mobile Forces.  The Mobile Force of Tajik Army was founded in 2005 without increase in a total strength of the country’s armed forces.  Air and Air-Defense Forces were also united in 2005.  Tajikistan’s armed forces also include National Guard and Security Forces (internal and border troops).

Unlike the other former Soviet states of Central Asia, Tajikistan did not form armed forces based upon former Soviet units on its territory.  Instead, the Russian Ministry of Defense took control of the Dushanbe-based 201st Motor Rifle Division; actually control simply shifted from the former district headquarters in Tashkent, which was in now-independent Uzbekistan, to Moscow.