DUSHANBE, May 5, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- 12 Tajik nationals have been detained in Afghan Badakhshan province.  They are accused of illegal border crossing.

Reliable sources at the Ministry of Interior (MoI) and the State Committee for National Security (GKNB) have confirmed that information.

According to them, two families from Sughd’s Asht district illegally crossed into Afghan territory through Khatlon’s Shuroobod district on May 1.  “In all, there were 14 border trespassers but two of them managed to escape,” the source said.

Afghanistan.ru reported that the border trespassers had been detained in the Shaki district bordering Tajikistan.  “Among the detainees are three women and three children,” Afghanistan.ru said, noting that the detainees would be transported to Fayzobod, administrative center of Badakhshan, in the near future for finding out the reason for illegal border crossing.