DUSHANBE (MNN); Tajikistan has opened discussions with Russia and the Moscow-led regional security bloc on the possible deployment of Russian troops to help jointly secure the unstable border with Afghanistan, three Tajik security officials told Reuters on Tuesday.
The talks come after a surge in cross-border violence. Five Chinese nationals were killed and another five injured near the frontier in the past week in attacks originating from Afghan territory. Many Chinese citizens working in mining and other commercial projects have now been urged to leave the area immediately.
According to one source from the Tajik Security Council, Tajik authorities have held negotiations with Russia over using troops from Moscow’s military base in Tajikistan to conduct joint patrols along the 1,344-km border. The base, which lies near Dushanbe, is Russia’s largest foreign military installation.
“We are holding discussions. I expect a decision will be reached this week,” the source said.
Two additional security officials confirmed that the talks include potential helicopter support from Russia to monitor the mountainous border zone. Both Tajikistan’s and Russia’s defence ministries declined to comment on the negotiations. The Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) is also reportedly involved but has not yet issued a statement.
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon met with national security chiefs on Monday to review the situation, while Beijing instructed its citizens near the border to evacuate urgently.
Taliban officials in Afghanistan have meanwhile stated they will work with Tajikistan on managing the security challenges. Russia had previously guarded the Tajik-Afghan border until the early 2000s, after which Tajik forces assumed full responsibility in 2005.
