Drone attack from Afghanistan kills three Chinese nationals in Tajikistan

Three Chinese workers in Tajikistan were killed in an attack launched from Afghanistan near the border, Tajik authorities said Thursday.

Tajikistan has strained relations with the Taliban in Afghanistan and several border clashes have broken out in recent months.

According to an official statement, “on the night of November 26, 2025, an armed attack was carried out from the territory of Afghanistan on the LLC Shohin SM employees’ camp located within the control area of the 1st Border Guard Post “Istiqlol” of the “Yol” Border Detachment in the Khatlon region.

This attack was carried out using an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with grenades and firearms. As a result of the attack, three employees of the LLC Shahin SM of Chinese citizenship were killed.

Despite the constant efforts by Tajikistan to maintain security and create an atmosphere of peace and stability in the border areas between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, the disruptive actions by criminal groups located in the territory of Afghanistan still continue.

The Tajik side, expressing deep concerns, strongly condemns these acts of terrorist groups and calls on the ruling Afghan authorities to take effective measures to ensure stability and security on the state border between two neighboring countries.”

Meanwhile, AFP reports that Militants from Afghanistan are active in the mountainous border region, which spans around 1,350 kilometres (840 miles) between the two countries.

Muslim-majority Tajikistan, one of the poorest countries in the former Soviet Union, has been concerned about possible flare-ups in extremism since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

President Emomali Rakhmon, in power since 1992, is openly critical of the Taliban, and urged the group to respect the rights of ethnic Tajiks, estimated to make up around a quarter of Afghanistan’s 40-million population.

At the same time, Tajikistan has cautiously engaged in some areas, including through diplomatic meetings, the opening of markets in border towns and supplying electricity.

Tajikistan’s foreign ministry said Thursday, “criminal groups located in the neighbouring country (Afghanistan) continue to commit acts aimed at destabilising the situation in the border regions.”

Several Chinese companies operate in Tajikistan, particularly in mining and natural resources, often located in the mountainous border areas.

One Chinese worker was killed last year in a similar attack near the Afghan border.