Tajikistan says 5 killed in armed clash on border with Afghanistan

Five people were killed in an armed clash on the Tajik-Afghan border after an alleged illegal border crossing from Afghanistan, Tajik officials said Thursday.

Tajik news agency Khovar, citing the Tajik Border Troops, said three people crossed into the country on Tuesday in the village of Kavo, Shamsiddin Shokhin district and were located on Wednesday. Officials claimed the group resisted security forces and attempted to target a border post.

"The terrorists refused to obey orders from Tajik border guards to surrender and offered armed resistance. They intended to carry out an armed attack on one of the border posts of the Border Troops of the State Committee for National Security of the Republic of Tajikistan," a statement said.

"As a result of the combat operation, all three terrorists were neutralized," the statement added, saying two Tajik border officers were killed.

Officials also reported seizing three M-16 rifles, a Kalashnikov assault rifle, three foreign-made pistols with silencers, 10 hand grenades, a night-vision scope, explosives, and other ammunition" at the scene.

Tajik officials said this was the third "armed attack, terrorist act, and border crossing" from Afghanistan in the past month, adding that previous incidents resulted in casualties among civilians and security personnel.

"These facts demonstrate that the Taliban government has shown serious and repeated irresponsibility and has failed to fulfill its international obligations and consistent promises to ensure security and stability along the state border with the Republic of Tajikistan and to combat terrorist organizations," the statement said.

Tajikistan said it expected an apology from Taliban leadership and effective measures to prevent further incidents.

Afghanistan did not immediately comment on the development.

On Dec. 1, Tajikistan said five people were killed and five others injured in two previous cross-border attacks from Afghanistan.

Earlier, the Tajik Foreign Ministry said three Chinese workers were killed when a drone launched "from the territory of Afghanistan" struck a camp in the country's southeastern Khatlon region.