Foreign and Military Affairs

Regional anti-terror drills enter second phase

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-09-14 08:35

ALMATY, Kazakstan - Joint anti-terror drills of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) entered the second phase on Monday at the Matybulak range near the largest Kazakh city of Almaty.

Regional anti-terror drills enter second phase

Chinese soldiers parade during the ceremony held at the training grounds in southeast Kazakhstan Sept 13, 2010. [Photo/Xinhua]

A ceremony for the new phase was held at the training grounds in southeast Kazakhstan on Monday morning.

Commanders of all five participating military forces gave their speeches as their respective countries' national flags were raised and national anthems were played.

They agreed the "Three Evil Forces" - terrorism, separatism and extremism - remained a major threat to the peace and stability in the region and the world at large.

The SCO member nations and their servicemen and women shared a sacred responsibility of crushing these evil forces to maintain regional peace, security and stability, they said.

They said to prepare for the drills, all parties had come together to work on plans and solve problems, so as to guarantee the success of the exercises.

The exercises, dubbed "Peace Mission 2010," were involving some 5,000 troops from five of the six SCO member states - China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. Uzbekistan did not take part in the event.