On December 1, 2025, Tajikistan authorities and the Chinese Embassy in Tajikistan confirmed on Monday that in the past week, in two attacks launched from neighboring Afghanistan, five Chinese citizens were killed and five others were injured.
The Chinese Embassy in Tajikistan stated that Chinese citizens have become targets of armed attacks and requested that Chinese companies and personnel in border areas of Tajikistan evacuate urgently.
According to Reuters, Tajikistan authorities have previously warned that border areas are often frequented by drug traffickers and illegal gold miners.
The country’s foreign ministry had earlier stated that three Chinese workers were killed by attackers who crossed over from Afghanistan on Friday, November 28. The attack targeted the staff quarters of the Shahín SM gold mining company in Shahmasidin District of Khatlon Province. Tajikistan authorities indicated that the attack involved drones dropping grenades.
The Chinese Embassy mentioned that two other Chinese citizens were attacked on Sunday, November 30, in the Shadak area near the Afghan border. The attack originated from Razavi village in the Mai Mai district of Afghanistan.
Tajikistan authorities have not yet disclosed the assailants, only referring to them as criminals operating within Afghanistan.
Although Tajikistan officials did not name specific groups, sources from Badakhshan province told the Afghanistan International news network that the attacks on the two Chinese citizens on Sunday appeared to involve Taliban border forces. The sources mentioned that these forces had recently been redeployed from other areas within Badakhshan province.
Following the attack incidents, Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon “strongly condemned the illegal and provocative actions of Afghan citizens” and instructed security agencies to assess the situation.
The President’s press office stated that Rahmon had ordered effective measures to be taken to address the issue, prevent such incidents from happening again, and strengthen border security.
Afghanistan’s foreign ministry last week attributed the border instability to an unnamed group but expressed willingness to cooperate with Tajik authorities.
China shares a border with Tajikistan, with the border areas located in remote mountainous regions. China is also a major investor in Tajikistan.
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