Tajikistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially denied reports that it sought Russian military assistance following recent cross-border attacks from Afghanistan that killed five Chinese nationals, reports Asiaplus.tj.
On December 2, Reuters, citing three unnamed security sources in Tajikistan, claimed Dushanbe was negotiating with Moscow and the CSTO to potentially deploy Russian units—including personnel from the 201st Military Base—for joint patrols along the 1,344-km Tajik–Afghan border. The report was widely circulated by media outlets in Russia and Afghanistan.
Shohin Samadi, Head of the MFA’s Press Service, stated:
“This information is false. An official statement will be released shortly. Reuters’ publication misleads its readers.”
The denial follows two armed assaults on December 1–2 in the Shamsiddin Shohin and Darvoz districts, targeting Chinese mining and construction sites. Five Chinese citizens were killed and five others wounded. Tajik authorities blamed Afghan-based perpetrators and demanded the Taliban apprehend those responsible.
In response, Afghanistan’s MFA attributed the attacks to “hostile forces seeking to destabilize the region” and reaffirmed its readiness for a joint investigation. Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin held urgent phone talks with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who condemned the killings and pledged enhanced border security.
China’s Embassy in Dushanbe urged its citizens to leave border areas and called on Tajik authorities to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and projects.
Notably, joint Russian–Tajik border patrols ended in 2004. Since then, Tajikistan has secured its Afghan frontier independently.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
December 3, 2025