Afghanistan Pledged Cooperation After Drone Attack Killed Three Chinese Workers in Tajikistan

(Patria) - Afghanistan on Friday expressed "deep regret" and strongly condemned the cross-border attack on neighboring Tajikistan in which three Chinese workers were killed and a fourth wounded, AP reported.

The initial assessment showed that "this incident involves elements trying to create chaos, instability, and mistrust between countries in the region," said Deputy Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal.

He said that Afghanistan "assures full cooperation with the government of Tajikistan and is fully prepared for information exchange, technical cooperation, and joint assessment to uncover the causes of the incident."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan announced on Thursday that the attack was carried out the previous night from within Afghanistan using a drone equipped with grenades and firearms.

"Despite Tajikistan's continuous efforts to maintain security and create an atmosphere of peace and stability in the border areas between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, disruptive actions by criminal groups located on Afghan territory continue to occur," it stated, calling on Afghan authorities to establish security in the border area.

The Chinese Embassy in Tajikistan urged its citizens to "refrain from investing or working in the Tajik-Afghan border region" and advised those already in the area to "evacuate as soon as possible."

Tajikistan and Afghanistan have long had difficult relations, especially after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, when Tajikistan severed all ties with its southern neighbor.

But there have been signs of a gradual thawing of relations, with trade in the border area resuming in 2023, and a Tajik delegation visiting Kabul earlier this month.