CSTO Secretary General Visits Tajikistan-Afghanistan Border to Assess Security Measures
The Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) visited parts of Tajikistan’s border with Afghanistan during an official trip to Tajikistan to evaluate the progress of border facility enhancements. This visit took place amid ongoing regional concerns about the security situation in northern Afghanistan.
According to a statement from the organization, Talatbek Masadikov traveled to Dushanbe from June 24 to 26 at the official invitation of Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon. During his visit, he went to the southern areas of the CSTO’s external border zone and inspected several border posts and a crossing point within three border guard units of Tajikistan.
As part of the itinerary, the CSTO Secretary General also visited the construction site of a border road in the mountainous and difficult terrain of Shurabad. Tajik officials said the project aims to facilitate border forces’ access and enhance surveillance of border areas.
Masadikov, together with Muradali Rajabzadeh, First Deputy Chairman and Commander of the Border Guard Forces of Tajikistan’s State Committee for National Security, discussed the implementation of the CSTO’s targeted interstate program to strengthen the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border. This program is designed to increase the technical and operational capacities of border forces.
These developments come amid previous CSTO concerns over the presence of armed groups in northern Afghanistan. The organization has warned that instability across the border could impact the security of its member states.
In contrast, the Taliban administration has dismissed these concerns, emphasizing that Afghanistan poses no threat to any country and that comprehensive security has been restored since the group regained control. Nevertheless, the persisting regional apprehensions indicate that the international community and neighboring countries remain unconvinced about the security situation and the possible activities of armed groups in certain parts of Afghanistan.
