Country Reports on Terrorism 2008 - Mongolia

Although there were no known terrorist groups operating in Mongolia and no known bases of support, Mongolian government officials cited more than 6,000 kilometers of porous borders, easy entry for foreign travelers, and poverty as conditions that terrorists could exploit, and moved to increase awareness of terrorism and to consider new laws. In November, Mongolia's State Specialized Inspection Agency, Border Protection Agency, and Customs Authority; in partnership with the Second Line of Defense program of the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration, installed and began using portals to detect the movement of nuclear and radiological devices and materials at the northern and southern rail border crossings, and at Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Ulaanbaatar. The Mongolian police, the Ministry of Justice, and the General Intelligence Agency's counterterrorism branch cooperated with their U.S. counterparts on counterterrorism issues. As a result of resource and technical limitations, however, Mongolian counterterrorism law enforcement capacities remained modest.

Internationally, Mongolia deployed a total of ten rotations of 100 Mongolian soldiers to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. These rotations ended in September, with the downsizing of the Multi-National Forces Iraq contingent strength. Mongolia also supported Operation Enduring Freedom through the provision of teams of Mongolian soldiers to Afghanistan to train the Afghan National Army.