Description: Tajik security forces have reported that three armed assailants were neutralized in the border village of Kavo in the Shamsuddin Shokin district. According to the official statements from Tajikistan’s State Committee for National Security, the armed militants pertained to the terrorist organization called Jamaat Ansarullah which is largely active on the frailly secured border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Tajikistan’s government has stated that it expected an official apology from the Taliban – led government of Afghanistan while it also claimed that the attack proved the ineffectiveness of the Taliban government to prevent terrorist organizations from operating from its territory. The attack was third in sequence after earlier this month, Chinese workers in the Khatlon region were killed by drone strikes launched from Afghanistan, while a second attack was prevented on 01 Dec by Tajik security forces when at least three armed militants were neutralized along one of the border crossings.
Impact: Militant and terrorist organizations continue to aggravate the security situation across central and south Asia. Afghanistan, under the rule of the Taliban government, continued to represent a major hotbed for terrorist and militant activities which have most recently been active across the Durand line, or the disputed border with Pakistan. Incursions into Tajikistan have increased over the past month indicating the Taliban’s inability to combat insurgents, terrorists and militants over its largely insecure border regions with neighboring countries. The security crisis in the region has evolved into a trilateral issue between Afghanistan, Pakistan and Tajikistan, signaling lack of coordination and capacities by Afghanistan’s administration to tackle the threats. Terrorist and militant organizations inspired by the lack of border control and low level of coordination and communication between the affected countries are expected to further increase their activities and precipitate a widespread insurgent crisis which could remain a long – term security threat and a major regional destabilization factor.