Taliban deploying suicide attackers on border with Tajikistan

Islam Mohamed

The specter of tension hangs over the Afghan-Tajik border after the Taliban took control of the Panjshir Valley, the stronghold of the Tajik community in Afghanistan.

The Taliban’s takeover of the valley caused its leaders to flee to Tajikistan.

Moscow interfering

Moscow said Dushanbe and Kabul had sent troops to their shared border.

The Russian Foreign Ministry called on the two parties to resolve their disputes in a manner acceptable to both sides, the Russian Information Agency said.

On Saturday, Tajik President, Emomali Rahmon, asked the residents of the border region of Farkhar to be vigilant and cooperate with the border guards of their country.

Addressing residents during a visit to the region, President Rahmon said the situation in neighboring Afghanistan would become tenser in the coming period.

He added that his government is taking all necessary measures to guard Tajikistan’s borders.

“Every citizen in the region must contribute to this important work,” the president said. “You have to be constantly vigilant and cooperate with the armed forces and security services in guarding the borders.”

Meanwhile, the Taliban has questioned the authenticity of reports about the movement’s mobilization of its forces on the border with Tajikistan.

Movement Spokesman, Bilal Karimi, said these reports contradict realities.

According to some media reports, the Taliban decided to deploy a battalion of 500 troops along the border with Tajikistan.

Deputy Governor of Badakhshan Province, on the border with Tajikistan, Nassar Ahmad Ahmadi, said the Taliban had prepared a battalion of suicide attackers that would be deployed on Afghanistan’s borders, especially in Badakhshan Province.

Mansour’s army

Ahmadi revealed that the exclusive battalion is called ‘Mansour’s Army’.

It is the same battalion, he said, that carried out suicide attacks in areas controlled by the government of former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani during US occupation of Afghanistan.

“If there was no such battalion, defeating America would have been impossible,” Ahmadi said.

“These men wore explosive vests and were blowing up US bases in Afghanistan. They are literally fearless people,” he added.