Tajikistan Reports Five Dead in Cross-Border Attacks From Afghanistan

Tajikistan has accused armed groups operating from Afghanistan of carrying out two deadly cross-border attacks over the past week, leaving five people dead and five others injured in what officials describe as a dangerous escalation along Central Asia’s most volatile frontiers.

The announcement came through the Tajik presidential press service on Monday, which said President Emomalu Rahmon convened an emergency meeting with top security officials after the latest strike.

Tajikistan, an 11-million-strong, mountainous former Soviet republic, has long had uneasy relations with the Taliban administration that took control of Afghanistan in 2021.

According to Tajik authorities, the most serious incident occurred last week when a drone launched from Afghan territory struck a remote border area, killing three Chinese citizens.

The deaths have raised alarm given China’s growing economic presence in the region. Tajik officials said the attack underscores the risks posed by armed groups and illegal networks operating along the isolated, rugged frontier.

Tajikistan has previously warned about drug traffickers, smugglers and illicit gold miners who use the porous border to evade authorities.

However, the recent drone strike marks one of the most severe cross-border incidents in years and has heightened concerns about the Taliban’s control over territory near the Tajikistan border.

In a statement, Rohmon “strongly condemned the illegal and provocative actions of Afghan citizens and ordered that effective measures be taken to resolve the problem and prevent a recurrence of such incidents.”

There has been no immediate response from Taliban authorities in Kabul to Tajikistan’s accusations. The lack of official communication has fueled further uncertainty at a time when Central Asian states are increasingly anxious about spillover violence, drug trafficking, and militant activity from Afghanistan.