The Afghan Taliban administration said it had assured neighboring Tajikistan that it was ready to strengthen security on its borders and carry out joint investigations, after attacks launched from Afghan territory, according to Dushanbe, killed five Chinese nationals last week.
In a call with his Tajik counterpart on Tuesday, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi expressed regret and said Kabul was ready to strengthen coordination between border forces, adding that “joint measures against malicious elements are an urgent necessity.”
“The Islamic Emirate is fully ready to strengthen its border security, conduct joint investigations and engage in any form of coordination,” Muttaqi said, according to a statement from the Afghan Foreign Ministry.
He added that “a climate of trust” had recently developed between the two countries and should not be shaken.
Tajik authorities said Monday that the two attacks, one of which involved drones dropping grenades, also injured five Chinese workers. The Chinese embassy confirmed the number of casualties and urged Chinese citizens to leave the border area.
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has ordered tighter border controls following incidents along the remote mountainous frontier.
China is a major investor in Tajikistan, a Russia-aligned Central Asian state with a population of around 11 million.
