Tensions rise along Afghanistan–Tajikistan border amid security concerns

KABUL: The 1,357-kilometer border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan, the country’s second-longest border after the Durand Line, runs along the Panj River and has become a hotspot of tension since the Taliban’s return in 2021. Issues such as drug trafficking, the presence of militant groups, and competition over gold mines have turned this border into a center of crisis. Recently, four armed assailants crossed from Badakhshan, Afghanistan, into the Shamsiddin Shohin district of Tajikistan and engaged with border guards. The Tajikistan State Security Committee reported that the attackers were killed and their weapons and explosives were seized. Security experts suggest that the mode of attack resembles previous operations by the Ansarullah group, which is composed of Tajik nationals and has been operating under the Taliban’s umbrella since the 1990s. This group is considered a close ally of Al-Qaeda. Additionally, ISIS-Khorasan has carried out several missile and drone attacks from Afghan soil into Tajikistan in recent years, presenting a serious threat. A recent report from the United Nations Security Council emphasizes that the Taliban continues to provide financial and logistical support to these groups and has even started producing military drones with the assistance of Al-Qaeda.