In adition to the elite forces like SpetzNaz en VDV which stands for Vozdushno Desantnie Voyska (Paratroopers) Uzbekistan has newly formed Special Forces Batalions which are trained and formed by western standards with help of American and other NATO experts. These batalions are made of volunteers who have already served their eighteen months in one of the elite forces. The batalions are generaly located in provinces which border troubled republics like Afghanistan and Tajikistan.

Uzbekistan also has many SNB (former KGB) and MVD (Ministry of interior Affairs) Special Units left over from Soviet Union times which like Uzbekistan SpetzNaz and VDV receive basicly the same training as other members of the former Soviet Union and Russia. There are also units with names given to them as it is done in many countres like Alfa in Russia or Delta in US. In Uzbekistan it would be Scorpion and Bars.

Unit Scorpion is a border patrol force between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan/Tajikistan and is made of specialy picked conscripts who after eighteen month have a choice, to go back to civilian life or continue their service. The name Scorpion was given to them by people from villages on both side of the border where they apeared during tensions of two countries.

If Scorpion gets the reserves from yesterday's civilians prety much like American Rangers, Bars doesn't. Bars consists of real veterans most of whom are mature men who have already seen a war in Afghanistan (1979-1989), in Chechnya or in numerios conflicts. Bars is stil a secret unit, and not much is known except a few TV reports and stories of those who served there. There also has been a rumor that even foreigners mainly from Russia have trained in the unit, probably in exchange of experience. What makes this unit so special is that they are trained in mountain warfare, their name Bars speaks for itself. Bars is big mountain cat. Members of Bars are professionals in many aspects, like alpenism, hostage rescue, sabotage, deep enemy line infiltration, and recon.

Both Scorpion and Bars took part in 1999 conflict in Surhondarya province against rebels infiltrating the Uzbekistan border from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan mountains.

Special mountain troops were needed due to the terrain of the region. Conflict was resolved within a couple of month causing the rebels to flee back. Casualties were taken on both sides. By the official reports enemy suffered hundreds of dead comparing to the less than dozen of Uzbekistan police and military. Exact number of casualties of regualar and special forces is unknown due to government censorship.