SCO anti-terror exercise in Kazakhstan

MOSCOW, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Russia is sending ground forces to Kazakhstan to participate in a joint anti-terrorist exercise.

The exercise, "Peace Mission-2010," is being conducted under the auspices of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, of which both countries are members, Itar-Tass reported Friday.

A representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense press service and information department told journalists: "The first military echelon left the Totskoye railway terminal in the Orenburg Region on Friday. It will deliver to Kazakhstan by Sept. 7 some 250 men and 70 pieces of military hardware."

The Russian military will eventually deploy four military echelons totaling 1,000 troops along with their equipment.

Kazakhstan and China will send 1,000 troops along with their equipment to participate in the Peace Mission-2010 anti-terrorist exercise, with full deployment of forces occurring by Sept. 12. Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are also sending forces.

The Peace Mission-2010 anti-terrorist exercise is scheduled for Sept. 9-25 on Kazakhstan's Matybulak testing grounds in Zhambyl Oblast.