Tajik border guard killed in shootout with drug traffickers on Afghan border

Eight members of a drug trafficking group tried to illegally cross the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan on Friday. During the skirmish, one border guard was killed, and three criminals were detained, the press center of the Khorog border detachment of the Department of the State Committee for National Security of Tajikistan in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region reported.

“At 01:30 am on April 28, 2023, an armed group of transnational smugglers, consisting of eight people, crossed the state border of Tajikistan and Afghanistan at the protected area of the Tishor border post guarded by the Khorog border detachment,” the report says. “When the guards tried to detain the criminals, those opened fire. Three of them were detained, the rest fled, returning to Afghan territory, and one border guard died.”

According to the press center, the group of smugglers was led by three citizens of Afghanistan, whereas three of the detainees turned out to be citizens of Tajikistan. At the site of the shootout, 45 kg of heroin, a Kalashnikov assault rifle, 74 rounds of ammunition, a night vision device and $10,000 were found.

 A criminal case has been initiated, investigation and searching activities are being carried out.