More than 1,000 refugees from Afghanistan Badakhshan province, who were forced to flee into Tajikistan’s Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), have been placed in safe places, Gholib Niyatbekov, a spokesman for GBAO governor, told Asia-Plus.

Niyatbekov noted that international organizations had appreciated Tajikistan’s decision to accept Afghan refugees.  

According to him, the gratitude was expressed at a meeting of GBAO governor Yodgor Fayzov with representatives of UNHCR Representation in Tajikistan, the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office in Tajikistan and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Tajikistan.  

During the meeting it was reportedly noted that “acceptance of refugees from Afghanistan, especially in view of tense situation in the region, economic and security problems in the context of the outbreak of the second wave of COVID-19 is an example of the high responsibility of Tajikistan to humanity.” 

“Yodgor Fayzov said that the regional authorities are working with all government agencies, development partners and the population to provide the refugees with food, housing and medical services,” Niyatbekov said.  

During the meeting, representatives of international organizations said that “they support Tajikistan in this noble cause.” 

Exactly when the refugees crossed the border is not reported, but most likely it happened on July 4 and 5 when six districts of Badakhshan province were seized by Taliban militants.

It is the first time when it is reported about Afghan civilians forced to flee into Tajikistan.

Recall, GBAO governor had earlier noted at a meeting with law enforcement and military officials that the lack of security in Afghanistan “Is a signal to Tajikistan that internal stability needed to be protected.” 

“Tajikistan should set aside accommodation and accumulate fuel, food, clothing, and transportation facilities in anticipation of a possible refugee crisis,” Fayzov said during the meeting with law enforcement and military officials that took place in Khorog on June 21.

GBAO governor said that the region was prepared to accept up to 10,000 Afghans seeking refuge. 

Recall, more than 1,000 Afghan troops were forced to flee into Tajikistan on July 5 as Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province was increasingly coming under control of the Taliban.  

A statement released by the Main Border Guard Directorate of the State Committee for National Security of Tajikistan on July 5, in particular says that Taliban militants seized Khwakhan, Shikai, Nusai, Mahimai, Sheghnan and Sultan Ishkashim districts in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province in the night on July 5.  

As a result of skirmishes, 1,037 Afghan troops have reportedly been forced to cross into Tajikistan.

According to the Tajik border service’s statement, 104 Afghan troops crossed into Tajik territory in Shamsiddin-Shohin district of Khatlon province, 296 Afghan troops crossed into Tajik territory in GBAO’s Darvoz district, 173 Afghan troops crossed into Tajik territory in GBAO’s Vanj district, 312 Afghan troops crossed into Tajik territory in GBAO’s Shugnan district, and 152 Afghan troops crossed into Tajik territory in GBAO’s Ishkashim district.

This was the fifth known case of large numbers of Afghan troops seeking refuge in Tajikistan in two weeks.

Thus, taking into account Afghan troops that fled into Tajik territory earlier, a total number of Afghan troops that crossed into Tajik territory during the period from June 22 to July 5 is 1573. 

More than 130 Afghan soldiers escaped across Sher Khan Bandar border crossing after coming under a sustained assault on June 22.

In the morning of June 27, an armed group of Taliban militants launched an attacked on a border checkpoint in Afghanistan’s Kaldar district, forcing 17 Afghan troops to flee into Tajikistan.  The troops reportedly entered Tajikistan through its Shahritous border outpost. The Shahritous district is in the very southwestern corner of the country, where the border intersects with Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.

300 Afghan troops crossed into Tajikistan’s Khatlon province in the evening of July 4 as the situation has been aggravated in Khwakhan and Shahribuzurg districts of Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province, and 94 other Afghan troops crossed into Tajik territory in the evening of July 4. 

On all these occasions, Tajik border personnel admitted the troops in what official statements have described as gestures of “humanity and good neighborliness.”

Meanwhile, the Afghanistan National Security Council says the real number of Afghan troops seeking refuge was more and 2,300 of them have already returned to Afghanistan.