DUSHANBE, September 30, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- This week has seen two skirmishes between Tajik border guards and armed Afghan drug smugglers on the Tajik-Afghan border in Khatlon province; three drug traffickers have been killed and a large amount of narcotics and weapons has been confiscated.

Khoushnoud Rahmatulloyev, a spokesman for the Main Border Guard Directorate within the State Committee for National Security (SCNS), says one of skirmishes took place in the Hamadoni district.  Tajik border guards on a routine patrol spotted and tried to detain a group of armed persons who were illegally crossing the border river.  As a result of the skirmish, one of the trespassers – resident of the Afghan Takhor province, Khol waladi Poulod -- was killed, while others managed to return to the contiguous territory.  A sack containing five kilograms of heroin and two kilograms of cannabis as well as one assault rifle Kalashnikov were found on the spot.

Another skirmish between Tajik border guards and Afghan drug smugglers occurred in the Panj district.  As a result of exchange of fire, the drug-smuggling group leader, Ghaffor waladi Mahmoud, and one of his buddies were killed.  One assault rifle Kalashnikov, one hunting gun and 30 kilograms of cannabis were found on the spot, the spokesman said.  No casualties among Tajik border guards were reported, according to him.