DUSHANBE, May 20, 2009, Asia-Plus – Two Tajik families illegally entered Afghanistan earlier this month because they said they wanted to live in an Islamic country, RFE/RL''s Tajik Service reported on May 19.

The 12 Tajik citizens were detained by Afghan police after crossing the border.

Afghan investigators told RFE/RL that the Tajiks said they are not followers of any political group or religious movement but simply wanted to live in a "Muslim country."

Tajik Foreign Ministry spokesman Davlat Nazri confirmed the report and said Afghan authorities are interrogating the defectors.

Meanwhile, local media in Tajikistan report that two Tajik border guards were officially charged with assisting the families to illegally cross the Panj River that divides Afghanistan and Tajikistan.