Thu Dec 25 14:51:50 UTC 2025: Summary:
A firefight erupted on the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border in the village of Kavo, resulting in the deaths of two Tajik border guards and three intruders from Afghanistan. Tajik authorities say the armed group crossed the border and attacked a guard post, intending to assault a border post. This is the third incident of its kind in recent weeks involving casualties among Tajik border guards and civilians. Tajikistan accuses the Taliban government of failing to maintain border security and combat terrorist organizations, demanding an apology.
News Article:
Tajikistan Accuses Taliban of Border Security Failure After Deadly Clash
Dushanbe, Tajikistan – Five people are dead following a firefight between Tajik border guards and armed intruders who crossed the border from Afghanistan, the Tajik border protection agency reported on Wednesday. The incident, which occurred near the village of Kavo in the Shamsiddin Shokhin district, marks the third such event in recent weeks resulting in casualties among Tajik border guards and civilians.
According to the Tajik border agency, the intruders, heavily armed, attacked a guard post on Tuesday. Two Tajik border guards were killed in the initial assault, while three of the intruders died in the ensuing gun battle. The agency reported seizing a cache of weapons from the scene, including M-16 rifles, a Kalashnikov assault rifle, foreign-made pistols with silencers, grenades, a night-vision scope, and explosives.
“The terrorists refused to obey orders from Tajik border guards to surrender and offered armed resistance. They intended to carry out an armed attack on one of the border posts of the Border Troops of the State Committee for National Security of the Republic of Tajikistan,” the agency stated.
Tajikistan has placed blame squarely on the Taliban government in Afghanistan, accusing them of failing to uphold international obligations and ensure security along the border. The agency called the incident a demonstration of the Taliban’s “serious and recurring irresponsibility” in combating terrorist organizations. The agency is demanding an apology from Afghan leadership.
The statement added that Tajikistan will defend its territorial integrity against “terrorists and smugglers” by all means.
The long, porous border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan has long been a concern, primarily due to the trafficking of drugs from Afghanistan into Central Asia. Russian forces are stationed in Tajikistan and regularly participate in joint exercises with Tajik forces to bolster border security.
As of yet, there has been no official comment from Afghanistan regarding the incident.
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