Afghanistan’s Shadow Reaches Central Asia: CSTO Forces Mobilize for a New Security Challenge
Growing security concerns linked to militant activity in and around Afghanistan have prompted renewed focus on the defence preparedness of Central Asian states, as the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) conducts joint military exercises aimed at strengthening border security and collective response capabilities. The ongoing Rubezh-2026 exercises in Kazakhstan are being conducted against a backdrop of heightened regional concern over the possibility of armed groups exploiting instability in Afghanistan to expand their activities beyond the country’s borders. According to regional reporting, the exercises are focused










