As reported by IRAF, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said there was no cause for concern over security along Afghanistan’s border with Tajikistan, rejecting warnings from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) about potential threats in the region.
“Regarding Afghanistan’s borders, we assure you that there is no cause for concern,” Mujahid said, adding that Afghan security forces and Tajik border guards were in “full coordination” and would not allow any suspicious activity.
Mujahid said security had been maintained across Afghanistan and that the country’s northern borders were under the control of security forces.
He also said some areas along the border had previously been used by smugglers, describing occasional smuggling-related incidents as natural and something that occurs in many countries.
CSTO raises security concerns
The CSTO has described the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border as one of the most sensitive security points in Central Asia and said developments in Afghanistan remain on its agenda.
The organization has raised concerns over the possible presence of armed groups, smuggling networks and cross-border threats in the area.
Viktor Vasilyev, Russia’s permanent representative to the CSTO, said the situation in Afghanistan was being reviewed “continuously” in various formats, while strengthening the Tajik-Afghan border remained a key priority for member states.
He said working-group meetings on Afghanistan were held under the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers to assess the security implications of developments in Afghanistan.
Vasilyev also said the level of engagement between CSTO member states and Kabul was not uniform, with each country shaping its relations with the Taliban government according to its national interests.
Tajikistan, CSTO discuss border security
Earlier, the CSTO secretary-general discussed the region’s security situation with Tajikistan’s president, with both sides stressing the need to strengthen security along the Tajik-Afghan border and implement joint programmes.
