DUSHANBE, May 6, 2013, Asia-Plus – An annual military exercise, dubbed Hifz-2013 (Defense -2013), is going on in the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO).

An official source at the Ministry of Defense (MoD) says the exercise involving servicemen of the power-wielding structure and law enforcement agencies of the country along with armored vehicles, artillery as well as combat and transport helicopters was launched on May 4 and will last till May 19.

“The exercise includes simulated combat maneuvers in mountain terrain,” said the source.  “Deputy Defense Minister, Ramil Nadyrov, who is also Head of the General Staff of Tajikistan’s Armed Forces, is in overall command of the ongoing war game.”