Taliban Foreign Minister Says ‘Hostile Circles’ Seeking to Strain Ties With Tajikistan

Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said on Saturday that unspecified “hostile circles” were trying to undermine their relations with Tajikistan, following deadly security incidents along the two countries’ border.

Speaking at a gathering in Kabul, Muttaqi acknowledged recent security incidents near the Tajikistan border and said the Taliban had launched an investigation, The Caspian Post reports, citing the Amu TV.

“We have begun serious investigations into this matter,” Muttaqi said, adding that he had been in contact with Tajikistan’s foreign minister and that both sides were working together to prevent similar incidents.

His remarks followed a clash earlier this week in which two Tajik border guards were killed after armed men crossed into Tajik territory from Afghanistan. Tajik authorities said three attackers, whom they described as members of a terrorist group, were also killed.

Tajik officials said the Taliban have failed to secure the border and have asked them to issue a formal apology and strengthen security measures.

Muttaqi said they did not seek to harm neighbouring countries and would not accept harm in return, adding that disputes should be resolved through dialogue. He also referred to recent tensions with Pakistan, saying Afghanistan should not again become an arena for regional rivalries but instead a hub for economic cooperation.

The border incidents have also drawn the attention of regional powers. Russia’s ambassador to Tajikistan, Semyon Grigoriev, said growing instability along the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border had increased the importance of security and military cooperation between Moscow and Dushanbe.

China has also expressed concern. Al Jazeera reported that Beijing was alarmed by rising insecurity near the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border, particularly after recent attacks in which Chinese nationals working on mining projects were among those killed. Chinese authorities have advised their citizens and companies to leave some border areas and urged Tajikistan to take steps to protect Chinese interests.

The United Nations’ sanctions monitoring committee has previously reported the presence of several militant groups in northern Afghanistan, including ISIS-K, al Qaeda and Jamaat Ansarullah, despite Taliban assurances that Afghan territory will not be used to threaten other countries.

Tajik officials say the situation along the border has since stabilised, but investigations into the latest clashes are continuing.