Tajik Counter-Narcotics Chief Reports 17 Armed Clashes with Afghan Traffickers on Border in 2025

Tajikistan’s counter-narcotics chief Zafar Samad stated that security forces recorded 17 armed clashes with Afghan drug traffickers along the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border during 2025.

He said two Tajik security personnel and ten Afghan nationals were killed in these confrontations, marking a significant increase from the previous year when only six armed incidents were reported.

Authorities reported seizing more than 2,700 kilograms of narcotics along the frontier over the year, highlighting intensified violence linked to cross-border trafficking.

Samad noted that Afghan narcotics trafficking routes through Tajikistan toward Central Asia, Russia and Europe remain active despite heightened security operations.

The long and mountainous border has long served as a major conduit for drugs originating from Afghanistan. Regional governments and international agencies have warned that economic hardship and instability in the region sustain trafficking networks and cross-border criminal activity.

Officials emphasized the need for continued cooperation and stronger border control measures to curb trafficking and reduce violence along this sensitive frontier.