DUSHANBE, March 27, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Tajik Interior Minister Ramazon Rahimzoda yesterday met here with Mohammad Shafiq Fazli, Commander of the Afghan Border Police (ABP), Interior Ministry of Afghanistan, Tajik Interior Ministry’s press center reports.

Mohammad Zaman, Commander of the ABP Panj Zone, also attended the meeting.

The sides reportedly discussed issues related to expansion of cooperation between the two countries in combating trafficking in narcotics and weapons as well as countering terrorism and extremism.

The Afghan Border Police (ABP) secure Afghanistan''s 5,529 kilometers border with neighboring countries and all its international airports.  It also administers immigration services such as checking documents of foreigners entering the country or deporting them.  The ABP and the regular Afghan National Police jointly patrol a 55 km-wide corridor along the entirety of Afghanistan''s border, particularly the longest and porous Durand Line border in the southeast with neighboring Pakistan.

The ABP falls under the command of the Afghan National Police (ANP) which is under the administrative control of the Ministry of the Interior.  The ABP is headquartered in Kabul.  The Afghan Border Police divides command of its 23,000 police force across 6 zones to protect 14 Border Crossing Points and 5 Major Airports.