Uzbekistan starts military exercises in region bordering Afghanistan

TASHKENT, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Uzbekistan's security forces have started military trainings and tactical exercises to strength border protection in the Surkhandarya region bordering Afghanistan, the state news agency UzA reported on Wednesday.

The forces of the defense ministry, internal affairs and the state security service, as well as representatives of the state tax committee and local governing bodies are talking part in the military drill, the report said.

During the exercises troops and local governing bodies will implement plans to protect the state border and examine the current state of border protection measures, according to the report.

Uzbekistan shares 137 kilometers of border with Afghanistan along the Amu Darya river.