DUSHANBE, September 7, 2012, Asia-Plus -- The online news agency, Afghanistan.ru, reported on September 7 that more than 70 militants of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network have gathered in Afghan Badakhshan Province not far from the Tajik border.

The militant group members reportedly include nationals of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and probably Russia.

Afghanistan.ru quoted Abdul Awwal, chief of police in Arghanj Khwah (a sub-division in Badakhshan Province), as saying that the militants were detected after the cases of killing of five Afghan border guards in the Khej and Dawlatshahi areas.  According to him, the militants came to the province from Pakistan.

Some Afghan government sources say there are supporters of Tolib Ayombekov, former field commander from the Tajik Civil War, among the militants that have gathered in Afghan Badakhshan.

We will recall Tajik government forces launched a military operation against Tolib Ayombekov in Khorog, the capital of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region on July 24.

Probably, there are the direct participants of that conflict among Al-Qaeda militants that gathered in the province at the Tajik border, the Afghan government source were quoted as saying.

Abdul Awwal reportedly called on military forces of NATO and Central Asia’s nations to provide assistance to Afghanistan with fighting the militants, “because this militant group may become a source of threats to security across the border.”