Afghan Taliban vow border cooperation after Tajikistan says attacks killed five Chinese

Afghanistan's Taliban administration said it assured neighbouring Tajikistan on Tuesday it was ready to tighten border security and conduct joint investigations, after attacks which Dushanbe said were launched from Afghan territory killed five Chinese nationals over the past week.

In a call with his Tajik counterpart, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi expressed regret and said Kabul was prepared to boost coordination between border forces, adding that "joint measures against malicious elements are a pressing necessity."

"The Islamic Emirate is fully prepared to strengthen border security, conduct joint investigations, and engage in any form of coordination," Muttaqi said, according to a statement from the Afghan foreign ministry.

He added that "an atmosphere of trust" had recently developed between the two countries and should not be undermined.

Tajik authorities said on Monday the two attacks, including one involving drones dropping grenades, had also injured five Chinese workers. China's embassy confirmed the casualties and urged Chinese citizens to leave the frontier area.

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon ordered tighter border controls following the incidents, which occurred along the remote mountainous frontier.

China is a major investor in Tajikistan, a Russia-aligned Central Asian state of around 11 million people. 

Reuters