In recent times, several parts of Asia have seen growing tension and conflict. Thailand and Cambodia were involved in a violent border clash that lasted for days.
Myanmar, one of India’s neighbors, has been facing a long-running civil war. Now, trouble seems to be building up along India’s western borders as well and this time it is between Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
According to The Economic Times, Tajikistan has increased its military presence along the border with Afghanistan due to rising security concerns. A regional group called the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is also stepping in by sending weapons and soldiers to help protect the area from possible terrorist threats or conflict.
CSTO meeting focuses on securing Tajikistan-Afghanistan border
Tajikistan is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a group that also includes Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and Belarus. Interestingly, Russia is the only country in the group that has officially recognized the Taliban government in Afghanistan.
In a recent CSTO meeting, the member countries agreed that Tajikistan should increase its military presence along the border it shares with Afghanistan. The goal is to deal with rising security risks in the region.
During the meeting, the countries prepared a list of weapons, military gear, and technical equipment that will be provided to help strengthen Tajikistan’s border forces.
In a statement, the CSTO said it is deeply concerned about the situation at the Tajik-Afghan border and is taking steps to reinforce security there.
Tensions still high between Afghanistan and Tajikistan
Relations between Afghanistan and Tajikistan have remained tense ever since the Taliban returned to power in 2021 and took control of Kabul.
This tension has also been visible along the shared border between the two countries.
One major reason for the strained relationship is that about 30 per cent of Afghanistan’s population is of Tajik origin. Many leaders of the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance are currently based in Tajikistan, which has led to mistrust on both sides.
It’s not just Tajikistan other nearby countries are also worried about the possible entry of ISIS-linked terrorists from Afghanistan.
Tajikistan, which shares a 1,300-kilometer-long border with Afghanistan, has been vocal about the growing security threats along the frontier.
However, Taliban officials have claimed that Afghanistan poses no threat to its neighboring countries.