Afghanistan’s Taliban administration has said it has assured neighboring Tajikistan that it is ready to strengthen border security and conduct joint investigations, after attacks, which Dushanbe said were launched from Afghan territory, killed five Chinese nationals over the past week.
In a phone call with his Tajik counterpart on Tuesday, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi expressed regret and said Kabul is prepared to boost coordination between border forces, adding that “joint measures against malicious elements are a pressing need.”
“The Islamic Emirate is fully prepared to strengthen border security, conduct joint investigations and engage in any form of coordination,” Muttaqi said, according to a statement from the Afghan Foreign Ministry.
He added that “an atmosphere of trust” has recently been created between the two countries and should not be undermined.
Tajik authorities said on Monday that the two attacks, including one involving drone grenades, had also injured five Chinese workers. The Chinese embassy confirmed the victims and urged Chinese citizens to leave the border area.
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon ordered stricter border controls following the incidents, which occurred along the remote mountainous border.
China is a major investor in Tajikistan, a Central Asian state aligned with Russia and with around 11 million inhabitants.
