Tajikistan-Taliban border clashes: What’s behind them, why it affects China

Tajikistan Reports Multiple Attacks Along Border with Afghanistan, Resulting in Deaths of Over a Dozen People

A series of armed incursions into Tajik territory has raised tensions between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, with multiple attacks reported this month. According to officials in Dushanbe and Beijing, the incidents have resulted in the deaths of over a dozen people, including Chinese nationals working in remote areas.

The attacks, which have been attributed to men referred to as “terrorists” by Tajik authorities, have occurred along the 1,340km border between the two countries. In one incident this week, at least five people were killed, including three of the attackers, in Shamsiddin Shokhin district.

Tajikistan has long been critical of the Taliban’s rise to power in Afghanistan, and the recent clashes have further strained relations between the two countries. Analysts say that the frequency of these incidents may be eroding the Taliban’s credibility and raising questions about its ability to enforce security along their shared border.

The attacks appear to target Chinese businesses and workers, with at least two incidents reported in the past week alone. In one incident, a drone equipped with an explosive device attacked a compound belonging to a private gold-mining company, killing three Chinese citizens. Another attack on November 30 killed at least two people employed by China Road and Bridge Corporation.

The border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan runs along the Panj river through remote, mountainous terrain. The incidents have been attributed to men from Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province, although the exact affiliation or motive behind the attacks is unclear.

Source: Al Jazeera