Local sources in Takhar province report that Tajik border forces shot and killed at least seven Afghan citizens who illegally entered Tajikistan. The incident occurred on Tuesday night, April 9, at a border point between Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Sources confirmed to the Hasht-e Subh Daily yesterday that the incident occurred after these individuals illegally crossed into Tajikistan through the border village of Nowabad in Takhar province’s Chah Ab district. Sources in Takhar province state that these individuals were smuggling drugs. The deceased individuals are residents of Takhar and Badakhshan provinces, with two of their bodies buried in Takhar province’s Chah Ab district. The identities of the deceased individuals have not yet been determined.
Local Taliban officials in Takhar and Tajik authorities have not officially commented on the matter so far. Districts beyond the Kokcha River, including Darqad, Dasht-e Qala, Khwaja Bahauddin, Chah Ab, and Khwaja Ghar in the northeastern region of Afghanistan, share borders with Tajikistan. This comes as the Tajikistan government has consistently expressed concerns about drug trafficking and “members of terrorist groups” entering its territory from Afghanistan.