Citing officials in Afghan northern Kunduz province, Pajhwok Afghan News reported on December 20 that Tajikistan police have closed the main crossing point with Afghanistan -- Sher Khan Bandar --- over the past four days. 

Provincial Trade Union head Syed Mujtaba Hashimi told Pajhwok Afghan News that the Tajik police had blocked “the highway of Sher Khan Bandar with Afghanistan.”

He said they had discussed the issue with customs and revenue officials, but they provided no reason why the border crossing had been closed.

The trader representative said goods of Afghan traders remained on the Tajikistan side of the border and measures should be taken to clear their crossing into Afghanistan.

The spokesman for the governor of Takhar province, Niamatullah Temori, also confirmed the issue and said: “The Tajik police may have closed the highway to ensure security for the New Year festival.”

Temori said local authorities were trying to hold talks with Tajikistan about the issue. Tajik officials have so far said noting in this regard, according to Pajhwok Afghan News.

Meanwhile, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reports that officials in Tajikistan's southern districts say the main road was closed for four days to cars and people on foot, while trucks were being allowed to cross the border.  They said that several other routes, including five bridges across the Panj River, had been closed for at least 10 days, according to RFE/RL’s Tajik Press Service.  They did not say why the roads were closed and crossing on the main road was restricted.