Five Killed in Tajik-Afghan Border Clash as Dushanbe Blames Kabul

Five people were killed during an armed clash on the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, according to statements released by Tajik border authorities.

The incident occurred in the Shamsiddin Shokhin district near the village of Kavo after heavily armed individuals crossed into Tajik territory from Afghanistan.

Tajik officials said the intruders were detected a day after crossing the border and later engaged in a firefight with border guards.

Two Tajik border officers were killed, while three of the intruders died during the confrontation.

Border Incident

According to the Border Troops of the State Committee for National Security, the intruders attacked a border guard post after refusing orders to surrender.

The official statement stated:

Authorities reported recovering a cache of weapons at the scene, including grenades, assault rifles, pistols equipped with silencers, explosives, and night-vision equipment.

The agency said this was the third such incident in recent weeks involving fatalities among Tajik border guards and civilians.

Officials also noted that Chinese citizens working for a mining company in the region had been among those killed in earlier incidents.

Official Response

Tajik authorities accused the Afghan leadership of failing to uphold international commitments to ensure border security and prevent cross-border attacks.

The statement described what it called repeated irresponsibility and said Tajikistan expects an apology from Afghanistan.

Officials said Tajikistan would defend its territorial integrity against what it described as terrorists and smugglers by all available means.

Afghanistan has not commented on the incident.

Tajikistan shares a largely unsecured 1,340-kilometer border with Afghanistan, which authorities say is frequently used for smuggling and armed crossings.