Two drug smugglers have been killed in two clashes along the Tajik-Afghan border last weekends, according to a statement from the Tajik border authorities.
One of skirmishes took place in the area patrolled by the “Panj” border unit, Muhammad Ulughkhojyav, a spokesman for the Main Border Guard Directorate at the State Committee for National Security (SCNS), told Asia-Plus in an interview.
Tajik border guards reportedly thwarted a group of armed drug smugglers attempting to illegally cross the border river. One of the armed drug smugglers was killed in the operation while others managed to return to Afghan territory.
An assault rifle Kalashnikov, two F-1 hand grenades, a mobile phone and some 50 kilograms of hashish were found on the spot.
The other skirmish took place in the area patrolled by the “Hamadoni” border unit. A group of Afghan armed drug smugglers attempted to illegally cross the border river. As a result of skirmish, one of the drug smugglers was killed.
An assault rifle Kalashnikov, and several packages of narcotic drug that tested positive to opium weighing some 13 kilograms were found on the spot.
Recall, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a meeting with Russia's top military brass in Moscow last month that the conflict between Afghan government forces and the Taliban poses a threat to Central Asia's stability.
Shoigu said that Russia will hold joint war games later this year with Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. He said that as part of efforts to prepare for potential threats, Russia staged joint maneuvers with Tajikistan earlier this year. The drills in July involved launches of the Iskander-M missiles, one of the most advanced weapons in Russia's military arsenal.
