Afghanistan’s Hasht-e Subh reported on April 11 that local sources in Takhar province report that Tajik border forces shot and killed at least seven Afghan citizens who illegally crossed the border to Tajikistan.

The incident reportedly occurred on the night of April 9, at a border point between Afghanistan and Tajikistan.

The sources reportedly confirmed on April 10 that the incident occurred after these individuals illegally crossed into Tajikistan through the border village of Nowabad in Takhar province’s Chah Ab district.

Sources within Takhar province reportedly state that these individuals were smuggling drugs. The deceased individuals are residents of Takhar and Badakhshan provinces, with two of their bodies buried in Takhar province’s Chah Ab district.  The identities of the deceased individuals have not yet been determined.

According to Hasht-e Subh, local Taliban officials in Takhar province and Tajik authorities have not officially commented on the matter so far.

Districts beyond the Kokcha River, including Darqad, Dasht-e Qala, Khwaja Bahauddin, Chah Ab, and Khwaja Ghar in the northeastern region of Afghanistan, share borders with Tajikistan.