Four Afghan gunmen killed as they crossed border into Tajikistan

Four armed individuals who reportedly crossed into Tajikistan from Afghanistan were killed overnight during a confrontation with border guards, Tajikistan’s National Security Committee has announced.

This marks the second such incident along the shared border since November, the committee confirmed in a statement issued on Monday.

Tajik border guards detected the group near a village adjacent to Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province.

The men reportedly refused commands to surrender, instead engaging in armed resistance, which led to their deaths in the ensuing clash, the committee stated.

While the committee alleged the four were "members of a terrorist organisation," no further details were provided regarding their identities or affiliations.

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Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the incident occurred when a group of drug traffickers attempted to smuggle narcotics into Tajikistan and encountered Tajik border guards.

He said the incident was under investigation and Afghanistan would not allow the border area to be destabilized, Afghanistan’s Tolo News channel reported.

The incident comes weeks after a reported cross-border attack from Afghanistan into Tajikistan that killed three Chinese workers and wounded a fourth. Tajikistan said the attack in late November was carried out from inside Afghanistan with a drone equipped with grenades and firearms.

Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, the Afghan Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman, said in November that the attack appeared to have been caused by “elements that are trying to create chaos, instability, and distrust between countries in the region.” He promised the Afghan government’s “full cooperation with the government of Tajikistan.”

Tajikistan and Afghanistan have a history of testy relations, particularly after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 and Tajikistan cut ties with its southern neighbor.

There have since been signs of a gradual thaw in relations including markets reopening in the border area in 2023 and a Tajik delegation visiting Kabul in November.