Russia, allies brace to meet rebel attacks

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, MARCH 10. Russia will step up arms supplies to Uzbekistan in anticipation of new rebel attacks in the region.

Uzbekistan will get Russia's latest Ka-50 ``Black Shark'' helicopters, artillery, air defence systems and ammunition. Russia will also admit more Uzbek students to its military academies, media reports said. The agreement was reached last week when a Russian military delegation, led by Gen. Leonid Ivashov, head of the Defence Ministry's international cooperation department, visited Tashkent.

Leaders of former Soviet Central Asian states have been warning of new rebel incursions this year. Speaking at a recent meeting of the National Security Council, Kyrgyzstan's President, Mr. Askar Akayev, said rebel attacks could begin in early spring and be more massive than before. Russia has been boosting the defence potential of Kyrgyzstan and is mooting deploying more troops in neighbouring Tajikistan.

Islamic insurgency has been on the rise in Central Asia in recent years. In 1999 militants of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) crossed into Kyrgyzstan from Tajikistan, but failed to push further into Uzbekistan.

However, last year they advanced within 100 km of the Uzbek capital, Tashkent. The Uzbek guerilla warlord, Mr. Takhir Yuldashev, claims that IMU military outfits, based in Taliban- controlled Afghanistan, have 7,000 fighters and keep growing. The IMU's declared aim is to overthrow the secular regime of Mr. Karimov and replace it with an Islamic state.

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Section  : International
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