Tajikistan has reported the deaths of five Chinese nationals and injuries to five others in attacks originating from Afghanistan over the past week. Chinese authorities in Dushanbe have urged all Chinese citizens and businesses near the border to evacuate immediately.
The most recent attack occurred on Sunday near the Afghan border, following a drone-based assault on Friday that reportedly dropped grenades and killed three Chinese citizens.
Tajikistan, a mountainous Central Asian nation of around 11 million, maintains a tense relationship with Afghanistan’s Taliban government. Authorities have warned about cross-border threats, including drug trafficking and illegal gold mining. China, a significant investor in Tajikistan, shares a remote border with the country.
In response, President Emomali Rahmon held meetings with top security officials, condemning the attacks and ordering measures to prevent further incidents. Tajikistan, closely aligned with Russia, which maintains a military base there, has historically supported Afghan Tajiks opposed to the Taliban.
Afghanistan’s foreign ministry, while not directly addressing the attacks, last week blamed an unnamed group seeking to create instability and pledged cooperation with Tajik authorities.
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