There are no Afghan refugees in Tajikistan. Kaldar district of Afghan Balkh province cleared of Taliban

Refugees from Afghanistan did not try to cross into the territory of Tajikistan and the situation along the stretch of the Tajik-Afghan border in the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) is calm and there is no cause for concern, Gholib Niyatbekov, a spokesman for GBA governor, told Asia-Plus in an interview.  

Recall, GBAO governor Yodgor Fayzov spoke about the need to strengthen border defense at a meeting with law enforcement and military officials in Khorog on June 20.   

The lack of security in Afghanistan was a signal to Tajikistan that internal stability needed to be protected, Yodgor Fayzov said. 

“Tajikistan should set aside accommodation and accumulate fuel, food, clothing, and transportation facilities in anticipation of a possible refugee crisis,” Fayzov told Asia-Plus in an interview, noting that Tajikistan is prepared to accept more than 10,000 Afghans seeking refuge.

On June 24, Yodgor Fayzov followed up his earlier remarks to say that Tajik defenses had been bolstered in the GBAO.  “The GBAO has an extensive border with Afghanistan, so it is necessary to routinely bolster the activities of territorial defenses [units], so that its members are in a state of permanent readiness,” said GBAO governor.  “Defense of the border has been strengthened.  Border guards are in a state of heightened readiness.”

Meanwhile Afghan media reports said yesterday Kaldar district in Balkh province has been cleared of Taliban influence.   

Fawad Aman, deputy spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, said that the operation had resulted in heavy casualties for the Taliban. The deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Defense said that Kaldar district had been completely cleared of the Taliban.

Atta Mohammad Noor, former governor of Balkh, who took part in the operation, said that the clean-up operation in Kaldar district had been completed successfully.  In addition to Atta Mohammad Noor, the police commander, the head of national security, the commander of the Balkh border brigade and a number of local commanders were reportedly present during the operation.

Noor said that the Taliban, who had invaded the area with the aim of occupying Kaldar district and the port city of Hairatan, were severely defeated and pushed back from all areas of Kaldar district.

Kaldar is a small district (population around 19,400) in the northern part of Afghanistan Balkh province.  The northern and the eastern border of the district is the large Amu Darya River. North of the river is Uzbekistan and east is Tajikistan.  The main village, also called Kaldar, is in the northeastern part of the district, close to the river.