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Putin offers to help Tajikistan protect border with Afghanistan
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday told the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon that he was ready to provide the necessary support to his Tajik counterpart to ward off any threats emanating from Afghanistan.
In a statement issued by Putin’s office, Moscow said the two leaders had discussed the situation along the Tajik-Afghan border in a telephone conversation.
“The discussion focused on the difficult situation on the Tajik-Afghan border caused by the escalation of armed confrontation in Afghanistan, including in the border area,” the statement read.
“Vladimir Putin confirmed his readiness to provide Tajikistan with the necessary support, both bilaterally and within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation,” read the statement.
This comes after escalating violence has gripped the northern parts of Afghanistan in the past week and resulted in a number of districts, and border crossings into Tajikistan, falling to the Taliban.
During a National Security Council meeting on Monday, Rahmon meanwhile ordered the deployment of 20,000 troops to the frontier.
Rahmon also raised concerns over the situation in Afghanistan with his Uzbek and Kazakh counterparts.
These developments come after over 1,000 Afghan military personnel retreated to Tajikistan on Sunday as Taliban fighters closed in on border crossings between the two countries, Central Asian media outlet Akipress reported on Monday
Akipress said the Taliban captured Khwahan, Shekay, Nusay, Maimay, Sheghnan, and Ishkashim districts in Badakhshan province, which all border Tajikistan.
According to the report, 1,037 Afghan military personnel crossed into Tajikistan following armed clashes with the Taliban.
Reports also emerged over the weekend that at least 300 Afghan security force members crossed into Tajikistan on Saturday amid heavy clashes with the Taliban.
Last week, Moscow promised to provide any necessary assistance to Tajikistan if needed.
Russia’s state media TASS reported Thursday that State Duma Defense Committee Head Vladimir Shamanov said assistance will be provided in accordance with the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
Speaking ahead of a meeting with the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly Council, Shamanov said: “We will surely provide comprehensive assistance to Tajikistan under the CSTO commitments [in case of the mounting terrorist threat]. Naturally, we won’t leave it [Tajikistan] alone.”
The head of the State Duma Defense Committee also reiterated Russia’s position with regard to the concerns over the situation in Afghanistan.
“The measures, including those taken by the Russian side, were outlined both by the [Russian] defense minister and the president [of Russia] to the effect that we need to think about providing the 201st military base in Tajikistan with the required capabilities,” Shamanov said adding that Russian border guards were now “taking a number of organizational measures” in this regard.
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Over 2.13 million Afghan refugees repatriated from Pakistan
Officials say over 150,000 individuals were returned from Punjab alone, where enforcement efforts are being led by the Punjab Home Department’s Foreign National Security Cell.
More than 2.13 million Afghan nationals have been repatriated from Pakistan to Afghanistan as part of an ongoing campaign targeting undocumented foreign residents, according to Pakistani authorities cited by local media.
Officials say over 150,000 individuals were returned from Punjab alone, where enforcement efforts are being led by the Punjab Home Department’s Foreign National Security Cell. The campaign includes inspections of thousands of residential areas and hundreds of markets, resulting in numerous detentions and legal cases against Afghan nationals found without valid documentation.
The repatriation process comes amid heightened tensions along key border crossings between the two countries. Hundreds of migrants have recently been sent back via the Chaman crossing, particularly during disruptions at other transit points.
The Torkham crossing—a major gateway for cross-border movement—has faced repeated closures. Although it briefly reopened, local officials in Nangarhar Province report that it was shut again after only a few hours. Authorities in Pakistan have not provided a clear explanation for the latest closure.
According to Sediqullah Quraishi, head of Nangarhar’s Information Department, the crossing was opened temporarily on Thursday before being closed again without official clarification.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Afghan migrants remain in temporary holding centers across Punjab, where they are undergoing registration and processing ahead of their return to Afghanistan. The large-scale repatriation effort continues to raise humanitarian and logistical concerns, particularly as border access remains unpredictable.
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Human Rights Watch calls Pakistani airstrike on Kabul rehab center ‘unlawful’
Patricia Gossman, senior associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said available evidence suggests the strike hit a well-known civilian medical facility.
Human Rights Watch has condemned a recent Pakistani airstrike on a rehabilitation facility in Kabul, calling it “unlawful” and warning it could amount to a war crime.
The strike, which reportedly took place on March 16, targeted the Omid Drug Rehabilitation Center, located within the former Camp Phoenix complex in eastern Kabul. According to international agencies, at least 143 people were killed and more than 250 others injured, most of them patients undergoing treatment.
Patricia Gossman, senior associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said available evidence suggests the strike hit a well-known civilian medical facility.
“The available evidence indicates that the Pakistani airstrike against a well-known Kabul medical facility killing dozens of patients was unlawful,” she said, adding that authorities must determine why the site was targeted and who should be held accountable.
An employee of the center told the organization that three buildings were struck, including a dining hall, a residential building housing hundreds of patients, and a guard post. At the time of the attack, more than 1,000 patients were reportedly at the facility, many gathered to break their fast during Ramadan.
Human Rights Watch said satellite imagery and visual evidence show extensive destruction across the compound, with multiple structures either destroyed or severely damaged. The organization added that it found no indication the facility was being used for military purposes.
Under international humanitarian law, medical facilities are afforded special protection. The group stressed that attacks failing to distinguish between civilian and military targets, or those causing disproportionate civilian harm, may constitute serious violations of the laws of war.
Human Rights Watch has called on Pakistan to carry out a prompt, impartial investigation and ensure accountability if violations are confirmed.
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Torkham crossing closes again hours after brief reopening
Officials say the reason for the sudden closure has not been clearly communicated by authorities in Pakistan.
The key border crossing at Torkham crossing has once again been shut down, just hours after it was temporarily reopened, according to local officials in Nangarhar province.
Sediqullah Quraishi, head of information at the provincial Department of Information and Culture, said that on Thursday the Pakistani side allowed the crossing to open briefly to Afghan migrants. However, the crossing was closed again shortly afterward, leaving many travelers stranded.
Officials say the reason for the sudden closure has not been clearly communicated by authorities in Pakistan.
The Torkham crossing serves as one of the most important transit points between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Its repeated closures have caused significant disruption, particularly for migrants, traders, and families who rely on cross-border movement.
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