After Pakistan, Tajikistan is also reportedly considering tougher measures toward the Taliban government, with concerns over security threats along its border with Afghanistan.
According to Asia-Plus, Tajikistan is considering completely closing its border with Afghanistan. The major concerns reportedly include cross-border terrorism and drug smuggling originating from northern Afghanistan.
The potential move comes amid longstanding security tensions along the Afghanistan-Tajikistan frontier. Tajikistan has previously expressed concerns about militant groups operating from Afghan territory and the possibility of instability spreading across the border.
The Afghanistan-Tajikistan border has remained a sensitive security zone since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, with Tajikistan taking a particularly cautious position toward the Taliban authorities. Security concerns have contributed to increased border fortification and military deployments on the Tajik side.
A complete closure would represent a significant escalation in Tajikistan’s border policy and could affect cross-border trade, transportation and movement between the two countries.
Tajikistan’s concerns also reflect wider regional worries about Afghanistan’s security situation and the potential spillover of militant activity and illicit trafficking into Central Asia.
However, the reported plan remains under consideration, and it is not clear when or whether Tajik authorities will implement a complete border closure.