Russia dispatches top military generals to Tajik-Afghan border
Dadan Upadhyay

Moscow, Nov 22 : In the wake of fresh eruption of fierce fighting between the Taliban militia and the opposition Northern Alliance, in the Kunduz and Takhar provinces, in northern Afghanistan, Russia has dispatched topmilitary generals, to Tajikistan, where Russian border guards and troops, have been placed on high alert.

The deputy commander of the Volga military district, Gen Vladimir Popov, the chief of the district's missile troops and artillery, Gen Valery Tsukanov, left for Tajik-Afghan border Tuesday, along with a group of officers of the district staff's operations department, due to sharp escalation of tension on the Tajik-Afghan border, Russian television reports said.

Gen Popov is considered the most combat-experienced general of themilitary district. He personally organized and supervised the operations ofthe district's unit in the break-away republic of Chechnya during the firstand second campaigns against the Chechen terrorist bands.

Recently he supervised a war game of the Russian 201st motorized rifledivision, based in Tajikistan, Russian military news agency (MNA) said.

Russia has more than 10,000 border guards on the Tajik-Afghan border, andhas stationed another 8,000 troops of the 201st motorized rifle division, in Tajikistan.

Earlier this month, Russian Defence Minister Igor Sergeyev, who visitedTajikistan, highly praised the division's action, saying its units haddemonstrated high combat skills and readiness.

Intensive hostilities involving tanks, artillery and mortars began Tuesdayon Afghan territory about 2.5 km across the border from Tajikistan,Interfax news agency reported from Dushanbe, the Tajik capital, quotingpress service of the Russian border-guards in Tajikistan. The Russian border-guards responded with increased alertness and taking up strong firing positions, the agency reported saying fighting was underway in the vicinity of the district centre of Imamsahib and the villages of Hojagar and Dashti-Kala.

Refugees have been sighted on the islands in the Pyandze River almost onthe very Tajik-Afghan borderline, the agency said.

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