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ISLAMABAD: A deadly confrontation along the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border this week has left at least five people dead, including two Tajik border guards, after armed militants crossed into Tajik territory and exchanged fire with security forces, Tajikistan&rsquo;s State Committee for National Security (GKNB) said in an official statement on Friday. According to Tajikistan&#39;s border protection agency, heavily armed men infiltrated the village of Kavo in the Shamsiddin Shokhin district on Tuesday. When security forces tracked them down the next day, the intruders opened fire on a guard post, killing two Tajik personnel before three of the attackers were killed in the return fire.&nbsp; The weapons cache recovered from the scene included three M-16 rifles, a Kalashnikov assault rifle, three foreign-made pistols with silencers, 10 hand grenades, a night-vision scope, and explosives. Afghanistan has not yet commented on the incident.&nbsp; A pattern of escalating violence<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;" id="isPasted">This firefight is just the most recent flashpoint in what has become an increasingly volatile situation along the 1,340-kilometer frontier separating the two countries. The Tajik Border Troops said the latest clash was part of a series of security incidents along the Afghan frontier in recent weeks that have claimed more than a dozen lives this month, adding that Tajik forces have been placed on heightened alert amid repeated attempts by armed groups to cross the border. The violence has also increasingly targeted Chinese interests in the region. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, a drone armed with grenades struck employees of a Chinese gold-mining operation in November, killing three and wounding one. Within days, another attack saw gunfire from Afghan territory kill two Chinese construction workers and injure two more.&nbsp; Following the attack, the Chinese Embassy in Dushanbe in November&nbsp;urged its citizens to leave the region and pressed both Tajikistan and Afghanistan to address the security breakdown.&nbsp; Why the hostility?Tajikistan has steadfastly refused to recognize the Taliban government that took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, with Dushanbe repeatedly expressing concern over the presence of armed groups near its frontier. President Emomali Rahmon has been outspoken in his criticism, accusing the Taliban of mistreating ethnic Tajiks and providing sanctuary to groups that threaten Tajikistan&#39;s stability. The geographic and political realities make the frontier remote, difficult to patrol, and serve as a corridor for drug trafficking and militant movements. Tajikistan has urged Afghanistan to ensure tighter control of border areas to prevent cross-border movement of militants, while Afghan officials maintain that they are committed to preventing their territory from being used to threaten neighboring states. Who&rsquo;s behind the attacks?While Tajik officials describe the attackers as &quot;terrorists,&quot; no group has claimed responsibility for the recent violence. Analysts from the Oxus Society and BBC Monitoring point to several possible culprits, naming Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) as the primary suspect for the November drone strike. The ISKP has conducted attacks on foreign nationals in Afghanistan as part of its strategy to undermine the Taliban&#39;s credibility as a security provider. Additionally, Tajikistan&#39;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs accuses the Taliban of sheltering Jamaat Ansarullah, an Islamist militant group composed mainly of Tajik citizens that seeks to overthrow Tajikistan&#39;s secular government.&nbsp;

Afghan security personnel stand guard last July in Kabul. [Wakil Kohsar / AFP]

Central Asia

A deadly confrontation along the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border this week has left at least five people dead, including two Tajik border guards, after armed militants crossed into Tajik territory and exchanged fire with security forces, Tajikistan’s State Committee for National Security (GKNB) said in an official statement on Friday.

Five killed in Afghanistan-Tajikistan border clash

ISLAMABAD: Two Tajik border security personnel were killed after &ldquo;members of a terrorist organization&rdquo; from Afghanistan attempted to illegally cross into Tajikistan, marking the third armed terrorist attack originating from Afghanistan, Tajik authorities said on Thursday.&nbsp;According to a press statement issued by the Border Troops of the State Committee for National Security of Tajikistan, three members of a terrorist organization crossed the border and entered Tajik territory from Afghanistan, where they were resisted by Tajik security forces.&nbsp;&ldquo;On December 23, 2025, at 23:30, three members of a terrorist organization crossed the state border and entered the territory of the Republic of Tajikistan from Afghanistan within the protected area of Border Outpost No. 5 &lsquo;Bog&rsquo; of the 0341 &lsquo;Sarchashma&rsquo; Border Detachment, located in the Qavoq area of Shamsiddin Shohin District,&rdquo; the statement said.&nbsp;Officials said the group resisted security forces and attempted to target a border post.&nbsp;&ldquo;The terrorists refused to obey orders from Tajik border guards to surrender and offered armed resistance. They intended to carry out an armed attack on one of the border posts of the Border Troops of the State Committee for National Security of the Republic of Tajikistan,&rdquo; the statement added.&nbsp;During the armed clash, two servicemen of the Border Troops of the State Committee for National Security were killed, according to the statement.&nbsp;Tajik officials said this was the third &ldquo;armed attack, terrorist act, and border crossing&rdquo; from Afghanistan in the past month, noting that previous incidents resulted in casualties among civilians and security personnel.&nbsp;&ldquo;These facts demonstrate that the Taliban government has shown serious and repeated irresponsibility and has failed to fulfill its international obligations and consistent promises to ensure security and stability along the state border with the Republic of Tajikistan and to combat terrorist organizations,&rdquo; the statement said.&nbsp;Tajikistan said it expects an apology from the Taliban leadership and &ldquo;effective measures to prevent further incidents.&rdquo;&nbsp;The statement further reported the seizure of three M16 rifles, a Kalashnikov assault rifle, three foreign-made pistols equipped with silencers, 10 hand grenades, a night-vision scope, explosives, and other ammunition at the scene.&nbsp;Last month, three Chinese workers in Tajikistan were killed in an attack launched from Afghanistan near the border. The Tajik foreign ministry said a drone and firearm attack targeted workers of a Chinese company in the country&rsquo;s south.

Two Tajik border guards were killed after alleged militants crossed from Afghanistan, resisted security forces, and attempted an attack on a border post, marking the third such incident this month

Two Tajik border guards killed in cross-border militant attack from Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD: Tajikistan has dismissed a Reuters report claiming that Dushanbe was in talks with the Collective Security Treaty Organization on allowing Russian troops to jointly patrol its border with Afghanistan. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Tajik Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the report was &ldquo;untrue,&rdquo; adding that the spread of such &ldquo;false information&rdquo; could mislead the international audience. The ministry said Tajikistan continues to take its own measures to strengthen security along the Tajik Afghan frontier.&nbsp; Officials added that the situation along the border remains stable and under the full control of the country&rsquo;s competent authorities. The denial comes a day after Reuters reported Tajikistan was in talks with Russia and a Moscow-led regional security grouping about the possibility of Russia deploying troops to jointly patrol the volatile border with Afghanistan. The report came days after Tajikistan confirmed the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/tajikistan-condemns-afghanistan-drone-strike-killing-three-chinese-workers" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">death of five Chinese nationals</a> near the border in attacks launched from inside Afghanistan. Tajik President Emomali Rahmon held meetings with security chiefs on Monday to review the situation, while China advised its citizens working in mining and business ventures to leave the border areas. Separately, <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/tajikistan-slams-afghanistan-for-deadly-crossborder-attacks" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Tajik&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/tajikistan-slams-afghanistan-for-deadly-crossborder-attacks" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">President Emomali Rahmon</a> has also condemned two cross-border attacks from Afghanistan.&nbsp; The Tajik foreign ministry said the attack &ldquo;originated from the territory of Afghanistan,&rdquo; noting that gunmen opened fire on the camp late on Nov. 26 within the control area of the 1st Border Guard Post Istiqlol of the Yol Border Detachment. It added that the assault involved &ldquo;an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with grenades and firearms.&rdquo;

Its foreign ministry says Tajikistan continues to take its own measures to strengthen security along the Tajik Afghan frontier. 

Tajikistan rejects report on joint border patrols with Russian troops

<grammarly-extension data-grammarly-shadow-root="true" style="position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; pointer-events: none; --rem: 16;" class="dnXmp"></grammarly-extension>ISLAMABAD: Tajikistan has condemned two cross-border attacks originating from Afghanistan that killed five people and injured five others, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon said Monday, according to the presidential press service. The Tajik Foreign Ministry confirmed that three Chinese nationals were among the dead after an assault last week on the LLC Shohin SM employees&rsquo; camp in the Khatlon region. The ministry said the attack &ldquo;originated from the territory of Afghanistan.&rdquo; In an official statement, the ministry reported, &ldquo;On the night of November 26, 2025, an armed attack was carried out from the territory of Afghanistan on the LLC Shohin SM employees&rsquo; camp located within the control area of the 1st Border Guard Post &lsquo;Istiqlol&rsquo; of the &lsquo;Yol&rsquo; Border Detachment.&rdquo; It added that the assault involved &ldquo;an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with grenades and firearms.&rdquo; The presidential press service denounced the actions as &ldquo;illegal&rdquo; and &ldquo;provocative,&rdquo; stating that Rahmon had ordered authorities to take &ldquo;effective measures&rdquo; to prevent the recurrence of &ldquo;such unfortunate incidents.&rdquo; Pakistan also weighed in last week, with its Foreign Office offering &ldquo;deepest condolences and strong solidarity,&rdquo; pledging cooperation with &ldquo;China, Tajikistan, and other regional partners&rdquo; to preserve stability. Following a meeting in Islamabad on November 30, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong discussed the killings with Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. <div class="fr-embed"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D1303298308502905%26set%3Da.251429287023151%26type%3D3&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="831" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" spellcheck="false"></iframe></div><div class="fr-embed">&nbsp; </div>According to the Foreign Office, Dar &ldquo;expressed condolences over the tragic killing of three Chinese nationals in Tajikistan, near the Afghan border,&rdquo; and reaffirmed that Pakistan &ldquo;stands in full solidarity with China in these difficult times.&rdquo;

Afghanistan

Dushanbe says Afghanistan-origin attacks kill five, including three Chinese, prompting Tajik condemnation, while Pakistan offers condolences and pledges solidarity with China and Tajikistan for regional stability

Tajikistan slams Afghanistan for deadly cross-border attacks

ISLAMABAD: Tajikistan&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry has condemned an armed drone attack launched from Afghanistan that killed three Chinese workers in the country&rsquo;s southern Khatlon region, calling on Afghan authorities to take &ldquo;effective measures&rdquo; to secure the shared border.&nbsp;In a statement issued on Thursday, the ministry said the assault occurred late Wednesday, when an unmanned aerial vehicle &ldquo;equipped with grenades and firearms&rdquo; struck the employees&rsquo; camp of LLC Shohin SM near the 1st Border Guard Post Istiqlol of the Yol Border Detachment.&nbsp;&ldquo;As a result of the attack, three employees of the LLC Shohin SM of Chinese citizenship were killed,&rdquo; the statement said. Tajikistan described the incident as an operation conducted &ldquo;from the territory of Afghanistan.&rdquo;&nbsp;The ministry noted that, despite Tajikistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;constant efforts&hellip; to maintain security and create an atmosphere of peace and stability&rdquo; along the frontier, &ldquo;disruptive actions by criminal groups located in the territory of Afghanistan still continue.&rdquo;&nbsp;Expressing &ldquo;deep concerns,&rdquo; the Tajik government said it &ldquo;strongly condemns these acts of terrorist groups&rdquo; and urged Afghanistan&rsquo;s de facto authorities &ldquo;to take effective measures to ensure stability and security on the state border between two neighboring countries.&rdquo;

Tajikistan condemned a deadly drone attack it says was launched from Afghanistan that killed three Chinese workers in the country's south; urges Kabul to curb cross-border militant activity and ensure stronger security along the two countries’ shared frontier.

Tajikistan condemns cross-border drone strike from Afghanistan, killing three Chinese workers

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to strengthening defense and security ties with Tajikistan. This he said in a meeting with Colonel General Sobirzoda Emomali Abdulrahim, Minister of Defense of Tajikistan, who called on him, at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, said a press release issued by Pakistan military&rsquo;s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Thursday. During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, regional security, and bilateral defense cooperation were discussed. Enhancing military ties&nbsp;Both sides expressed their resolve to enhance the existing military-to-military collaboration, particularly in the areas of training, counter-terrorism, and regional security, it said. The visiting dignitary appreciated the professionalism of the Pakistan Army and acknowledged its role in promoting regional stability and peace, the statement said. The COAS, while emphasizing the importance of collective efforts for regional stability and prosperity, reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to strengthening defense and security ties with Tajikistan, the ISPR&rsquo;s statement said.

Security

Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir met Tajik Defense Minister Sobirzoda, reaffirming commitment to defense and security ties; both emphasize military collaboration, counter-terrorism, training, and regional stability promotion.

Pakistan, Tajikistan pledge stronger defense, regional security cooperation

ISLAMABAD: Tajikistan asked India to withdraw its military personnel and equipment from the Ayni airbase last year, prompting New Delhi to close its only overseas air facility in Central Asia, Indian media reported this week. According to the digital publication The Print on Tuesday, India was instructed to vacate the base in 2024, and the withdrawal process was completed earlier this year. The Gissar Military Aerodrome (GMA), commonly known as the Ayni airbase after the nearby village, is located just west of Dushanbe and had been jointly administered by India and Tajikistan for nearly two decades. India is estimated to have spent close to $100 million on its development. Despite the investment and political backing under the Vajpayee government, the airbase never became fully operational. Reports said the facility remained largely idle due to Russian opposition, with Moscow reluctant to allow any other country to operate from the base. India did not maintain permanent air assets there, aside from two to three helicopters gifted to Tajikistan but operated by Indian Air Force personnel for humanitarian and relief missions. The Print also noted that Tajikistan&rsquo;s request for withdrawal came amid apparent pressure from Russia and China over the presence of foreign military personnel in the region. The closure of the Ayni airbase reduces India&rsquo;s strategic reach in Central Asia at a time when regional influence is increasingly shaped by China&rsquo;s expanding presence and Russia&rsquo;s renewed assertiveness, according to Zee News. India had previously used the airbase during the evacuation of its citizens in 2021, after the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan.

Tajikistan requested India to withdraw from the Ayni airbase near Dushanbe, leading to its closure. The move, influenced by Russian and Chinese pressure, reduces India’s strategic reach in Central Asia

India pulls out from Ayni airbase after diplomatic request by Tajikistan: reports

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Tajikistan have reaffirmed their commitment to the CASA-1000 clean energy project and pledged closer cooperation in trade, defense, and regional connectivity, following the sixth round of Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC) in Dushanbe this week, the Pakistani foreign office said.&nbsp;The consultations, held from September 29&ndash;30, were led by Pakistan&rsquo;s Additional Foreign Secretary for West Asia and Afghanistan Syed Ali Asad Gillani and Tajikistan&rsquo;s Deputy Foreign Minister, Farrukh Sharifzoda.&nbsp;&ldquo;Discussions covered a wide range of bilateral matters, including political and parliamentary ties, trade and investment, defense and security, energy, connectivity, cultural and educational exchanges, multilateral cooperation, and consular affairs,&rdquo; the foreign office said.&nbsp;Both delegations agreed that high-level visits provide &ldquo;motivation to the partnership&rdquo; and stressed the importance of continued engagement.&nbsp;Central to the talks was the $1.2 billion CASA-1000 energy project, designed to transmit 1,300 megawatts of surplus hydroelectric power from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan and Afghanistan.&nbsp;The project, backed by the World Bank and other international partners, has faced delays due to instability in Afghanistan but is now resuming construction.&nbsp;&ldquo;Both sides underscored the significance of regional transport corridors and reaffirmed their commitment to the early operationalization of CASA-1000, aimed at strengthening regional integration and energy security,&rdquo; the statement said.&nbsp;Tajik officials also highlighted the project&rsquo;s long-term benefits.&nbsp;&ldquo;The transmission capacity of CASA-1000 will be an energy link between Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan to provide clean energy not only to regional countries but also to meet Pakistan&rsquo;s industrial demand,&rdquo; Tajikistan&rsquo;s Deputy Minister for Energy Jamshed Shoimzoda said earlier this year.&nbsp;Beyond energy, Islamabad and Dushanbe explored trade opportunities in textiles, agriculture, logistics, food, and pharmaceuticals. Security cooperation, particularly in counter-terrorism and defense training, was also reviewed.&nbsp;Regional issues, including the situation in Indian-occupied Kashmir, were discussed, with both sides stressing that disputes should be resolved through &ldquo;diplomacy and adherence to the principles of the UN Charter.&rdquo;&nbsp;The meeting concluded with an agreement to hold the seventh session of BPC in Islamabad in 2026, signaling what both sides called a &ldquo;positive direction&rdquo; in their partnership.

Foreign Affairs

Islamabad and Dushanbe pledged to fast-track CASA-1000, expand trade in textiles, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals, and deepen security cooperation during their 6th Bilateral Political Consultations, reaffirming regional integration, energy security, and diplomatic engagement for 2026 talks.

Articles tagged with "Tajikistan"