Turks and Russians train them in mountain combat mine warfare respectively. And officer cadets are studying at colleges in Kazakstan and Russia. A particular weakness of both the Kyrgyz and Kazak armies is the quality of their military manoeuvres. Critics say these exercises are nothing like realistic enough. By comparison, the training of Islamic warriors in Afghanistan and Tajikistan is much more determined business.
Analysts say the emphasis is to imbue the recruits with fanatical zeal.
They never surrender and show no mercy. Each one carries a grenade and, when their situation becomes hopeless, they pull the ring. Most of these fighters were brought up in mountain villages, so high altitudes hold no terrors for them. They skip nimbly around with light equipment and ammunition and fade skilfully into landscape. Snipers act independently.