Tajikistan: Five Chinese Nationals Killed in Border Attacks from Afghan Territory
The Attorney General of Tajikistan has announced that following recent attacks from Afghan territory on the country’s border areas, five Chinese nationals have been killed. According to him, these incidents occurred in the districts of Shamsuddin Shahin and Darwaz, and investigations indicate that the perpetrators were not Tajik citizens.
Habibullah Vahidzada, speaking at a press conference, stated that the Chinese nationals were engaged in road construction work in these areas, and targeting them may be an attempt to harm relations between Dushanbe and Beijing. He added, “Who benefits from killing them? This shows that some criminal groups do not want peace or intend to undermine our relations with China.”
The Attorney General noted that the incident is being investigated as a criminal case, with security agencies continuing their inquiries. He did not provide further details about the identity of the attackers.
Meanwhile, the Taliban administration has earlier stated that its assessments suggest these attacks were carried out by groups aiming to create instability and mistrust in the region. Officials from this administration emphasized they will not allow relations between Kabul and Dushanbe to be damaged.
The Afghanistan-Tajikistan border is considered a sensitive area in Central Asia and in recent years has witnessed sporadic security incidents; a situation that has raised concerns about regional stability and the security of joint economic projects.
