On Friday, Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities extended their condolences to China following the deaths of three Chinese nationals in Tajikistan, reportedly killed by insurgents thought to have crossed the border from Afghanistan.
At the same time, there was no comment from the Taliban regarding a recent attack on U.S. National Guard troops by Afghans in Washington, D.C.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan expresses its deep condolences to the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Tajikistan and strongly condemns the reprehensible incident of the killing of three Chinese nationals in the Shamsuddin Shahin area of the Khatron region of Tajikistan,” the Taliban stated on Friday.
The incident took place Wednesday near the Afghan border, where three employees of the Chinese firm LLC Shohin SM were targeted by armed groups. These groups reportedly used a drone equipped with explosives. This attack seems to have originated from within Afghanistan.
Shohin SM is engaged in gold mining. According to Tajikistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the attack happened at one of the company’s mining sites in the border area known as Shamsiddin Shokhin.
“Despite Tajikistan’s continuous efforts to ensure security at the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border and to foster peace, destructive actions by criminal organizations based in Afghanistan persist,” Tajikistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs remarked.
In its initial response, the Taliban’s foreign ministry described the groups behind the attack as those attempting to incite chaos and instability in the region.
The Chinese embassy in Tajikistan has cautioned its nationals against working or investing in the border area due to heightened risks. They urged anyone currently in the region to evacuate promptly.
This incident highlights the mounting tensions following the Taliban’s rise to power in 2021. Both Tajik and Taliban officials have exchanged accusations regarding the presence of dangerous militants launching attacks from safe havens across the border.
Tajikistan is particularly concerned about ISIS elements, known locally as the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), as well as other Central Asian terrorist factions taking refuge in the inadequately monitored border regions of Afghanistan. Some of these groups have previously targeted Chinese nationals in Tajikistan.
Pakistan, which was once supportive of the Taliban, has shifted to a more confrontational stance. On Thursday, it issued a strong statement regarding the recent attack in Tajikistan.
After offering its heartfelt condolences to both China and Tajikistan, Pakistan’s foreign ministry commented, “The deployment of armed drones in this incident underscores the severity of the threats arising from Afghanistan.”
“Having faced numerous terrorist attacks from Afghan soil, the people of Pakistan empathize with the suffering of our friends in China and partners in Tajikistan,” the statement continued.
“The ongoing use of Afghan territory by terrorist elements and their persistent presence under the Afghan Taliban regime is a major concern for both the region and the wider international community,” Pakistan expressed.
A Taliban delegation, led by the governor of Badakhshan province, visited Tajikistan on Thursday to discuss border security matters. This region extends beyond the border into Tajikistan, where it is known as Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast.
As of Friday morning, the Taliban had yet to comment on the fatalities from the attack involving U.S. National Guard personnel. An Afghan individual named Rahmanullah Rakanwar commented on two soldiers, including Sarah Beckström, who succumbed to injuries from the assault.
Rakanwar was admitted to the U.S. after the chaotic withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan in 2021, which saw the Taliban regain control. On Friday, former President Donald Trump suggested a complete halt to immigration from Afghanistan and other developing nations in light of the recent incident.
