Dushanbe refutes claims of military talks with Russia over Afghan border

Tajik Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied reports suggesting that the country requested military assistance from Russia following recent attacks from Afghan territory on border regions and the deaths of five Chinese citizens.

The claim initially appeared in a Reuters report citing three sources within Tajik security agencies, which stated that “Tajikistan is in talks with Russia and a Moscow-led regional security grouping about the possibility of Russia deploying troops to jointly patrol the volatile border with Afghanistan.” The report was subsequently picked up by multiple media outlets, including Russian and Afghan news agencies, Caliber.Az reports.

Shohin Samadi, Head of the Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, rejected the report, stating that it is unverified. “An official response will be provided shortly. By publishing this news, Reuters is misleading its readers,” he said.

One of the three sources in the Tajik Security Council told Reuters that discussions had taken place regarding the potential deployment of units from Russia’s 201st military base in Tajikistan to jointly monitor the Tajik-Afghan border. "We are currently in talks. I think a decision will be made... this week," the source told Reuters.

Two of the other sources, in Tajikistan's State Committee for National Security, confirmed the talks with Russia, which if successful would see Russia use helicopters to help patrol the 1,344-kilometre (835 miles) border with Afghanistan, which runs through mountainous terrain.

By Vafa Guliyeva