US-led coalition strengthens counterterrorism cooperation with Central Asia, and Uzbekistan plays key role

The US-led coalition fighting against the ISIS terrorist group has unveiled plans to enhance collaboration with Central Asian republics, with Uzbekistan emerging as a crucial player. Yesterday, on June 8, a ministerial meeting of the coalition took place in the capital of Saudi Arabia, attended by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. As per the joint communiqué issued at the conclusion of the meeting, TASS reported the expansion of ties.

During the meeting, it was agreed that Tajikistan and Uzbekistan would participate as observers in the gathering held in Riyadh. The communiqué emphasized the significance of strengthening cooperation between coalition members and Central Asian nations to augment their collective anti-terror capabilities.

While specific details were not disclosed, last week, Ian McCarey, the US Deputy Special Representative for Countering ISIS, highlighted that the coalition was actively collaborating with its partners in Central Asia. Their aim is to assist these nations in identifying and neutralizing terrorists, as well as prevent the spread of the terrorist group beyond Afghanistan. Strengthening cooperation with the region has been designated as a primary objective for the coalition in the forthcoming years.

It is worth noting that the international coalition against ISIS was established at the NATO summit held in Wales, UK, on September 4-5, 2014, at the initiative of the United States. This association comprises countries from Africa, Asia, Europe, and America, uniting in the shared goal of combating the ISIS threat.