A drone attack on a gold mine near the Afghan border in Tajikistan has raised concerns across the region. According to available information, this attack was carried out on a compound of a private gold mining company operating in Shamsiddin Shohin district, in which three Chinese employees have died. Tajik officials say that the attack was carried out by an armed drone launched from Afghanistan, which has deepened the already existing tension in relations between the two countries.
Let us tell you that since the return of Taliban to power in 2021, relations between Tajikistan and Afghanistan have been continuously deteriorating. Tajikistan has been among the few neighboring countries to openly oppose Taliban rule. The Tajik ministry also reminded that in November last year also, a Chinese citizen was killed in an attack from Afghanistan, which raised questions about security in the region.
It is noteworthy that the use of drones in this latest attack is an indication that the threat has now moved beyond traditional attacks to technology-based methods. According to the Tajik Foreign Ministry, the drones were fitted with explosive devices and weapons, which were aimed at Chinese workers, who are employed in large numbers in the region’s mines.
After this incident, Pakistan has also reacted and termed it as a “despicable terrorist attack”. The Pak Foreign Ministry has expressed condolences to both China and Tajikistan and said that Pakistan has been facing cross-border attacks for a long time, hence it understands the situation of both the countries very well. Pakistan in its statement emphasized that Afghanistan should not be allowed to use its land against any neighboring country.
Experts say that this statement of Pakistan is not limited to just condemnation, but its language also makes it clear that it is trying to unite China and Tajikistan against the Afghan Taliban. Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been tense for many years, and this incident is being seen as a new turning point in regional politics in which security, trade and geopolitical interests are deeply intertwined.
Tajikistan, China and Pakistan have jointly condemned the incident, while international pressure on Afghanistan’s Taliban government has once again increased, while security measures have been tightened in the mine area.