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Tajikistan says 3 Chinese killed in cross border attack from Afghanistan

By The South Asia Times

Dushanbe — Tajikistan on Thursday accused armed groups operating from neighboring Afghanistan of carrying out a deadly cross-border attack that killed three Chinese workers in the country’s southern Khatlon region.

According to a statement from the Tajik Foreign Ministry, the assault occurred late on Nov. 26 when an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with grenades and firearms targeted a workers’ camp belonging to LLC Shohin SM near the “Istiqlol” 1st Border Guard Post, part of the “Yol” Border Detachment.

Three Chinese nationals employed by the company were killed in the strike.

The ministry said the attack highlights ongoing security threats emanating from Afghanistan despite Tajikistan’s efforts to maintain peace and stability along their shared border. It blamed “criminal groups” based inside Afghanistan for continued attempts to destabilize the region.

“Tajikistan strongly condemns these actions by terrorist groups,” the statement said, urging the Taliban authorities in Kabul to take immediate and effective measures to prevent such attacks and ensure security along the frontier.

Tajikistan shares a rugged 1,300-kilometer border with Afghanistan, where security concerns remain high amid the presence of militant and criminal networks operating in areas close to Tajik territory.