DUSHANBE, June 12, Asia-Plus  -- As a result of a joint operation by security officers and border guards, two Tajik teenagers were released unharmed yesterday after two months in captivity in Afghanistan, according to the State Committee for National Security (GKNB).

Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, Nozirjon Bouriyev, a spokesman for GKNB, said that the 12-year-old Qadamsho Mirzosafar and the 16-year-old Muhammadjon Mehroj from Khatlon’s Shuroobod district had been held by Afghan drug dealers hostage since April 4, 2008.  

According to him, the teenagers were taken hostage because of debts their relatives owe to Afghan drug dealers.  “Their uncles Abdurahmon Hotamov and Soroj Rahimov, who are involved in drug trafficking, took a large amount of narcotics from Afghan drug dealers for realization and failed to pay money for the drugs,” the spokesman said.  

He further added that criminal proceedings had been instituted against Hotamov and Rahimov and they will stand trial soon.  Bouriyev refrained from giving further details.  

It is to be noted that Tajiks living near the border with Afghanistan are falling prey to Afghan drug dealers who are taking desperate measure to recover debts.  Afghan drug dealers are kidnapping residents of border villagers, holding them hostage until their families pay ransom money to clear debts. 

The most vulnerable part of the Tajik-Afghan border is the Shuroobod area in the Khatlon province.