Central Asia should keep developments in Afghanistan under permanent focus: Tajik president

Emomali Rahmon, President of Tajikistan, said on Thursday that the five Central Asian nations should keep the developments in Afghanistan under “permanent focus”.

During the meeting of the heads of Central Asian states in Kyrgyzstan, Rahmon added that since taking over the country, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) leaders have failed to provide assurances to the international community.

Leaders from five Central Asian nations have ended a summit in the Kyrgyz resort town of Cholpon-Ata with a pledge to increase cooperation to strengthen the region, RFE/RL reported.

According to the outlet, another focus of the meeting was the situation in Afghanistan where IEA is nearing the first anniversary of its takeover of the country following the withdrawal of foreign forces in August 2021.

Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon said the five nations should keep the developments in the war-torn nation under “permanent focus” as they may affect geopolitical situation in Eurasia in general.

“According to our prognosis, the situation in Afghanistan may go from bad to worse. Since taking over the country, Taliban (IEA) leaders have failed to provide assurances to the international community, Afghan citizens with security, or solve social and economic challenges,” Rahmon said.

The IEA, however, says that Afghanistan’s borders have been secured more than ever before. Recently, the security forces arrested several perpetrators of the rocket attack on Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in Kunduz province, and three of them were killed during the operation.