Security forces in Tajikistan killed four armed men who crossed the border from Afghanistan, the Tajik government said. It was the latest clash in a rugged, sparsely populated area that has become a hotspot for violence along the frontier.
Border guards in Tajikistan’s Shamsiddin Shohin district located the assailants after they entered the country early on Sunday, according to a border force statement that was reported by the state Khovar news agency.
“The terrorists refused to obey the border guards’ order to surrender and offered armed resistance,” the border force said. “All four terrorists were killed during the operation.”
The statement said security forces seized equipment, including three Kalashnikov assault rifles, one pistol, ammunition, mobile phones, one walkie-talkie, and one boat. The vessel was likely used to cross the Pyanj River from Afghanistan into Tajikistan.
Chinese gold mining operations in Tajikistan’s border area have become a target of deadly attacks, prompting China to urge Tajikistan to take robust measures to get the situation under control. On January 15, Yusuf Rahmon, secretary of Tajikistan’s Security Council, met Chinese ambassador Guo Zhijun to discuss regional stability.
