BISHKEK, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Internal Affairs said Friday that a three-day large-scale tactical and special anti-drug exercise was held in the central Asian country by the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
The drill called "Thunder-2019" was conducted near the town of Balykchy, Issyk-Kul Oblast, on Aug. 6-8, when special forces from the CSTO member states interacted with operational personnel and units of the Armed Forces of Kyrgyzstan as well as the Kant Russian air base, according to the ministry.
The exercise was also attended by observers from Iran, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and the European Union.
The CSTO is a Russia-led military alliance created in 1992, grouping the six former Soviet republics of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.
