Citing a "complex and severe" security situation, the Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan has issued an urgent advisory calling for the immediate evacuation of its citizens and companies from the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border region. The unprecedented warning follows a series of deadly attacks targeting Chinese-run gold mining operations in Afghanistan's Badakhshan and Takhar provinces, which have resulted in significant casualties and damage to equipment. This evacuation order marks a severe blow to the Taliban's central claim of having restored national security and being a viable partner for foreign investment.
The evacuation was prompted by a wave of violence directly threatening Chinese interests. In late November, a drone equipped with an explosive device attacked a Chinese-operated gold mine in Tajikistan's Khatlon region, killing three Chinese nationals. Days later, gunmen opened fire on workers from the China Road and Bridge Corporation in Tajikistan's Darvoz district, killing at least two people. Tajik authorities assert these assaults originated from Afghan territory, specifically Badakhshan province. These incidents are part of a broader pattern of insecurity that has claimed over a dozen lives in recent months along the border.
The Taliban's failure to prevent cross-border attacks has sparked a diplomatic crisis with Tajikistan. Dushanbe has accused the Taliban government of demonstrating "serious and repeated irresponsibility" and demanded an official apology for its failure to meet international security obligations. The Taliban's response, expressing "deep sorrow" and blaming unspecified armed groups seeking to "create chaos" has been dismissed as inadequate by affected nations. The security vacuum is further complicated by local unrest within Afghanistan, including recent violent clashes where Taliban forces cracked down on protesters at a gold mine in Takhar, resulting in multiple deaths.
Analysts believe the attacks bear the hallmarks of the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), which aims to discredit the Taliban by demonstrating its inability to protect foreign nationals and secure its borders. This instability directly threatens China's significant economic investments in regional mining and infrastructure projects. Despite cautious engagement, the Taliban's ongoing struggles to control armed groups and its historically hostile relationship with Tajikistan, which has refused to grant it official recognition continue to undermine any prospect of regional stability. The situation leaves China and its partners navigating a volatile landscape where the Taliban government cannot guarantee basic security.