Amid growing concerns among Central Asian countries over the security situation along Afghanistan’s borders, Inayatullah Shoja, Deputy for Research at the Taliban’s Ministry of Borders and Tribal Affairs, has visited border areas of Badakhshan province. The visit comes as the security situation in some border areas of Badakhshan has drawn increased attention in recent months.
Taliban-affiliated media reported that during his visit to the border areas of Ishkashim district, Shoja emphasized addressing the concerns and challenges faced by the group’s border forces. He also held discussions on managing border affairs and improving coordination among government bodies responsible for border-related matters.
Ishkashim is a border district in Badakhshan province that shares a frontier with Tajikistan. Given its geographic location along the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border, the area holds strategic security and border significance, and developments there have attracted the attention of regional authorities in recent years.
In recent months, security concerns and challenges have increased in parts of Badakhshan’s border areas, making the issue a growing focus for the Taliban. Previously, Taliban officials, including Mullah Yaqoob Mujahid, the group’s defence minister, had also travelled to several border districts of Badakhshan and called for strengthened security measures, tighter border controls, and the redeployment of forces.
The Taliban have also recently launched a programme to recruit personnel from among residents of Badakhshan’s border areas, including members of the Ismaili community. The move comes amid reports of clashes in recent months between the Taliban and opponents of the group in Badakhshan’s border areas with Pakistan, with some of these confrontations resulting in casualties.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
