CSTO Boosts Security Belt around Afghanistan

DID Press: The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) says strengthening a “security belt” around Afghanistan has become a key priority of its regional cooperation efforts, as the bloc seeks to respond to growing cross-border and hybrid security threats.

In remarks to Russia’s TASS news agency, CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov said that during his three-year tenure, the organization’s military capabilities and security coordination have increased significantly amid a deteriorating international environment.

He stressed that the initiative to establish a security belt around Afghanistan serves the shared interests of the CSTO, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), noting the need to adapt traditional collective security mechanisms to new challenges.

According to Tasmagambetov, the CSTO’s air component has been strengthened, with troop numbers “nearly doubled,” while joint military exercises have been held regularly to enhance operational readiness based on the latest combat experience.

Addressing threats linked to Afghanistan, the CSTO chief said joint operations have delivered tangible results. He noted that more than eight tons of narcotics and psychotropic substances were seized in 2025 alone as part of the bloc’s anti-drug operation known as “Channel.”

He also confirmed the approval of a targeted program to reinforce the Tajikistan–Afghanistan border, describing it as a key element in improving the organization’s crisis response mechanisms.

Tasmagambetov concluded that the CSTO will continue to pursue a comprehensive collective security strategy combining operational readiness with diplomatic and analytical tools, while identifying hybrid threats and cybersecurity as among the organization’s future priorities.