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SCO members set for anti-terror drill
August 21, 2014
Five members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will participate in an anti-terrorism drill in China from August 24 to 29.
Forces from China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan will be taking part in the exercises, code-named “Peace Mission 2014,” at the Zhurihe training base in Inner Mongolia.
A total of 7,000 troops from the five countries– including ground and air forces, special operations and airborne troops and others tasked with electronic countermeasures, reconnaissance, mapping and positioning –will be involved.
Drones, airborne early warning aircraft, air-defense missiles, tanks and armored vehicles will be used during the drill.
What’s more, China’s first women’s special force will also be participating in what will be its first international military exercise.
The women soldiers will participate in five drills, including screening hostages and interrogating captives.
“The drills aim at deterring terrorist forces, including the East Turkistan Islamic Movement, and improving the competence of member states’ troops,” explained Wang Ning, Chief Director, Peace Mission 2014, and Deputy Chief of the PLA General Staff.
Wang, however, added that the exercises do not indicate that the SCO would become a military alliance.
“The SCO is a regional international organization in adherence to the principles of being non-aligned, non-confrontational and not targeted at any third party,” he said.
Founded in Shanghai in 2001, the SCO groups China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Afghanistan, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan are observer states, while Belarus, Turkey and Sri Lanka are dialogue partners.
