Following two separate cross-border attacks from Afghanistan into Tajikistan over the past week, five Chinese nationals have been killed and five others injured. These incidents, which Tajik authorities state involved drone-dropped grenades and armed assaults, have prompted a swift and serious response from China, with its embassy urgently advising all citizens and companies to evacuate the volatile border region.
The first attack occurred on the evening of November 26th, targeting a workers' camp for the Shohin SM gold mining company in Tajikistan's Shamsiddin-Shohin district. Tajikistan's Foreign Ministry reported that assailants used firearms and a drone equipped with an explosive device, killing three Chinese citizens. Just days later, a second violent attack took place on December 1st in the Darvoz district of the Gorno-Badakhshan region, resulting in further Chinese casualties. In response to the escalating danger, the Chinese Embassy in Dushanbe has repeatedly issued urgent safety alerts, strongly advising Chinese nationals to avoid the border area and for those already there to evacuate immediately.
China has condemned these attacks as "grave criminal acts" and has activated a firm diplomatic response. Ambassador Guo Zhijun held urgent phone conversations with senior Tajik officials, including Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, urging Tajikistan to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and enterprises within its borders. The Chinese response has focused on practical coordination, dispatching a working team to the scene to handle follow-up matters and assist the injured. Beijing has called on Tajik authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice, while also advising Chinese companies involved in sectors like gold mining to leave the affected area as soon as possible.
These latest incidents shows the persistent and severe security problem along the 1,357-kilometer Tajik-Afghan frontier, a remote and mountainous border that has long been difficult to police. Tajikistan has consistently warned of threats emanating from Afghan territory, including drug smugglers, illicit gold miners, and armed militant groups. The country's President, Emomali Rahmon, who has led Tajikistan since 1994 and maintains close ties with Russia and China, strongly condemned the "illegal and provocative actions" originating from Afghanistan and ordered his security agencies to strengthen border protections. Tajik officials have explicitly called on Afghanistan's Taliban authorities to stabilize their side of the border and prevent such cross-border raids.