Dushanbe: Tajikistan announced on Monday that five people were killed and five others injured in the country due to cross-border attacks from neighboring Afghanistan over the past week. "According to a report from officials, over the past week, two incidents of shelling from the Afghan side into Tajikistan occurred, resulting in the deaths of five people and the injury of five others," said a presidential statement, following a meeting between President Emomali Rahmon and the heads of the country's security and law enforcement agencies.

According to Anadolu Agency, the statement noted that Rahmon and the officials discussed the current situation on the Tajik-Afghan border and measures to strengthen its security. Rahmon condemned the "illegal and provocative actions of Afghan citizens" and instructed officials to take "effective measures to resolve the situation and prevent a recurrence of such incidents."

The meeting in Dushanbe comes after the Tajik Foreign Ministry reported that three Chinese workers were killed when a drone, launched "from the territory of Afghanistan," struck a camp in Tajikistan's southeastern Khatlon region late Wednesday. The statement expressed "deep concerns" over the incident, calling on Afghan authorities to ensure stability and security on the state border between the two countries.

Earlier on Monday, the Global Times reported that China's Embassy in Tajikistan advised Chinese enterprises and personnel to evacuate border areas following an armed attack in the autonomous eastern region of Gorno-Badakhshan late Sunday, resulting in unspecified casualties among Chinese citizens. The embassy urged citizens to avoid traveling to these areas and take proper safety precautions.

Additionally, the Chinese Embassy stated that its ambassador held urgent contacts with Tajik authorities, including Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, urging Dushanbe to ensure the safety of Chinese enterprises and nationals. The statement confirmed Tajikistan's commitment to upgrading its security measures to protect Chinese citizens.

Kabul has yet to comment on Dushanbe's latest statement, but it previously expressed "deep sorrow" to China and Tajikistan regarding the killing of three Chinese nationals. Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry assured Tajikistan of its "full cooperation," highlighting readiness for information-sharing and joint assessments to identify those responsible for the incident.