According to the report, Tajik authorities have recorded several armed infiltrations from Afghan territory in recent months, resulting in more than a dozen deaths. Some of the victims were Chinese nationals working on economic and mining projects in remote border areas of Tajikistan, with attacks reportedly targeting Chinese companies and workers in particular.
Al Jazeera said China, Tajikistan’s largest creditor and one of its most important economic partners, has a significant presence in infrastructure, road construction and mining projects in border regions. As a result, Beijing no longer feels confident about the safety of its citizens along the Afghanistan–Tajikistan frontier.
On November 26, a drone attack on a Chinese gold-mining company, along with gunfire targeting workers at a Chinese state-owned enterprise, reportedly killed several Chinese nationals. Following the incidents, the Chinese embassy in Dushanbe advised its citizens and companies to leave border areas and urged Tajik authorities to take “all necessary measures” to ensure the security of Chinese nationals and investments.
Citing analysts, Al Jazeera reported that while the perpetrators have not been officially identified, the pattern of the attacks is consistent with the operational methods of Islamic State Khorasan. Analysts say the group aims to undermine the Taliban’s credibility as a regional security provider by targeting foreigners.
The report said the escalation of clashes along the Tajikistan–Afghanistan border, combined with attacks on Chinese interests, could further complicate regional security dynamics and place additional pressure on the Taliban and Afghanistan’s neighbours.
Quoting Tajik officials, Al Jazeera said the attacks demonstrate the Taliban’s “irresponsibility” and repeated failure to uphold security and international commitments. Dushanbe has called on the Taliban to apologise and provide guarantees on border security.
Tajik authorities say most of the attacks originated from Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province, which Al Jazeera described as a security-wise “complex” area. The report added that the Taliban’s crackdown on poppy cultivation, and the resulting discontent among farmers, has further contributed to fragile security conditions there.
The Taliban have expressed “regret” over the incidents, blamed the attacks on unspecified groups and insisted that Afghanistan under their control poses no threat to neighbouring countries. They have reiterated their commitment to the Doha agreement.
