RASC News Agency: An armed assault targeting Chinese workers near the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border has left one Chinese national dead and several others injured. The attack occurred in the Zarafshan Valley of Shamsuddin Shohin District, situated in Tajikistan’s Khatlon Province. Four Chinese workers and one Tajik citizen sustained injuries during the incident. Sources indicate that the attack took place on the nights of November 17 and 18. The Chinese nationals, employed at a gold mine in the region, were reportedly ambushed by unidentified gunmen. A local source informed “Yeni Safak”: “The victims have been transported to a hospital in Shamsuddin Shohin District. Security forces have cordoned off the area, and investigations are ongoing.”
Preliminary reports suggest that the attackers crossed into Tajikistan from Afghanistan, deliberately targeting Chinese engineers and workers. However, it remains uncertain whether the perpetrators were drug traffickers or Islamist militant groups. As of yet, the Tajik government has not issued an official statement regarding the incident. This attack amplifies concerns over the rising infiltration of armed groups into Central Asia. Previously, Baloch militant groups in Pakistan have carried out deadly assaults on Chinese engineers and workers. Similarly, Tajikistan has repeatedly expressed apprehension about the deteriorating security situation along its border with Afghanistan. Officials have called on international bodies such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to strengthen border security measures.
In recent years, reports of increased activity by drug traffickers and extremist groups at the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border have surged. Following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, Tajikistan has ramped up its border security efforts, deploying additional troops to the region. One of the most significant threats to Tajikistan is posed by the “Ansarullah Group”, an Islamist militant faction operating in northern and northeastern Afghanistan, particularly in Badakhshan Province. The group, closely allied with the Taliban, opposes Tajik President Emomali Rahmon’s government and is viewed as a destabilizing force in the region.
On August 6 of the previous year, Tajikistan’s State Committee for National Security reported the neutralization of three members of the “Ansarullah Group”. According to the committee, these individuals had smuggled a considerable cache of weapons, ammunition, explosives, communication devices, and financial resources into Tajikistan. This incident underscores the urgent need for enhanced regional collaboration to counter the growing threat posed by militant groups and criminal networks operating across the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border. Strengthened security measures are essential to address this escalating regional challenge.
