KULOB, December 11, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- On Thursday December 8, a group of armed Afghan smugglers stole more than 10 cows from the Duloba pasture in the Sarichasha Jamoat of the Shouroobod district, which borders Afghanistan, and drove them across the border, local resident told Asia-Plus on Saturday December 10.

According to him, local villagers cannot offer resistance to the armed smugglers because the authorities have confiscated their hunting rifles.

“Neither border guards deployed in the area nor security officers have managed to provide assistance to the villagers,” said the source.  “Security officers just took three villagers with them to the city of Kulob for questioning.”  

It is to be noted that Tajiks living near the border with Afghanistan are falling prey to drug dealers who are taking desperate measure to recover debts.  They are kidnapping villagers and holding them hostage until their families pay ransom money to clear debts.

The Shouroobod area is the most vulnerable part of Tajikistan’s common border with Afghanistan.