OSCE hands over equipment to Special Forces of Kyrgyzstan

The OSCE Centre in Bishkek donated equipment worth 50,000 Euros to the Ilbirs Special Forces under the General Staff of the Kyrgyz Republic on 29 May 2014. The official handover ceremony took place in Osh city and was incorporated into national Armed Forces Day events. 

“We believe this equipment, will help strengthen the capacities of the Special Forces and will ensure that training and simulation exercises in 2014-2016 are properly planned,” said James Fuller, Head of Politico-Military Department of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.

The equipment donated includes 25 sets of computers, a laser printer, two notebooks, a projector and a screen, furniture and mountain equipment items.

The Osh-based Ilbirs Special Forces of the Ministry of Defence are first responders to external terrorist incursions on Kyrgyzstan’s southern borders.

The donation of equipment was done as part of the OSCE project on combating terrorism, which provides assistance to Kyrgyzstan’s counter-terrorism agencies by strengthening their potential and operational capacities to respond to terrorist threats, promoting inter-agency co-operation, and facilitating exchange of information and experience at the local, regional, and international levels.