Taliban Denies Insecurity Claims for Chinese Workers, Calls Reports Exaggerated

The Taliban administration’s spokesperson has dismissed a Foreign Policy magazine report alleging its inability to secure Chinese workers, describing the claims as exaggerated. Zabihullah Mujahid stated that the incidents cited in the report are mostly linked to smuggling and the activities of traffickers along border areas. He added that additional forces have now been deployed to secure projects and workers in the region.

Mujahid acknowledged that some assassination attempts might have occurred, but insisted that these threats have been completely addressed. He emphasized that tensions stemming from smuggling along the borders occasionally lead to clashes, but this should not be interpreted as a general failure to maintain security.

Meanwhile, Foreign Policy magazine, citing an American researcher, reported that Chinese workers, especially in mining areas along the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border, continue to face threats from unidentified armed groups. According to the report, since November 2024, seven security incidents targeting Chinese citizens have been recorded in these areas, resulting in at least nine deaths and more than ten injuries.

The report further states that a surge in gold prices has driven many Chinese nationals to engage in mining activities, particularly gold extraction, in northern Afghanistan. The researcher noted that some of these activities are carried out with the support of the Chinese government and under the Taliban administration’s leadership, while others are informally and sporadically approved by local officials. This situation could foster disorder and increased vulnerability in mining regions.

Aziz Maraj, a former diplomat, also said that while the possibility of foreign nationals being targeted cannot be completely ruled out, the overall problem has been resolved. He suggested that the highlighting of this issue in Western media is related to political and economic competition with China.

Despite the Taliban’s denial of these allegations, continued reports of border attacks and the presence of unidentified armed groups raise questions about how security for foreign projects is maintained and the transparency of mining agreements in northern Afghanistan. If such issues persist, they could affect foreign investments and the security situation along border areas.