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.