Dushanbe, Tajikistan – Three Chinese citizens have been killed in an armed attack on the Tajik-Afghan border, according to a statement released by the Chinese Embassy in Tajikistan. The incident occurred Wednesday evening in the Khatlon region of southwestern Tajikistan.
A fourth Chinese national was injured in the attack. The embassy has urged Chinese citizens to avoid the border area, citing security concerns. While the embassy did not explicitly identify the perpetrators, it stated that China has urged Tajik authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
According to a statement released by the Tajik Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, the attack targeted the ‘LLC Shahin SM’ company. The ministry claims the assault was launched from Afghan territory, utilizing a drone equipped with explosives. The three fatalities were reportedly employees of the company.
As of now, there has been no official comment from the Afghan government regarding the incident. Tajikistan and Afghanistan share a complex relationship, marked by recent border skirmishes and the presence of various armed groups operating in the mountainous border region, which stretches approximately 1350 kilometers.
The incident underscores the security challenges in the region. Several Chinese companies operate in Tajikistan, particularly in the mining and natural resources sectors. Many of these companies have operations located in the remote border regions. The security of Chinese workers in these areas has been a growing concern.
DZWatch continues to monitor the situation and will provide updates as they become available.
