DUSHANBE, November 9, 2010, Asia-Plus -- Tajik political scientist Rashid Ghani Abdullo considers that Tajikistan ought not to take any steps until Taliban militants concentrating in the neutral zone at Afghan-Tajik cross over the border into its territory.

Commenting on a November 4 clash between Afghan law enforcement authorities and a group of Taliban militants in the neutral zone near the Tajik border, Rashid Ghani Abdullo said that it was nothing more than an attempt to get Tajikistan involved into internal affairs of Afghanistan.  “In my opinion, Tajikistan ought not to react on that until any armed group crosses into our territory,” said the expert, “The best thing is not to take any active actions in that direction as it is sill taking place on Afghan territory.”

He considers that the Tajik side has the right to defend its sovereignty and take any actions if the armed groups cross into Tajik territory.

“I do not believe that the Taliban militants will attempt to break into Tajik territory in order to fight Tajikistan.  Most likely, it is our nationals that once went to Afghanistan and now want to come back.  The Taliban Movement has not yet openly threatened Tajikistan, you know,” Rashid Ghani Abdullo noted.

We recall that Radio Liberty on November 4 cited Dowoud Dowoud, the chief of police of Afghan northern regions, as saying that a group of Taliban militants have been killed in a clash in northern Afghanistan near the border with Tajikistan.   Dowoud noted that approximately 35 armed people were hiding in the neutral zone near the Tajik border and several of them were killed on November 4 in a special operation carried out by Afghan law enforcement authorities.  “We warned our Tajik colleagues that those Taliban militants will attempt to break into Tajik territory and ask help to annihilate them.”

In the meantime, the source at the Main Border Guards Directorate within the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) of Tajikistan says that Tajik border guards are always ready to repulse attempts by trespassers to break Tajikistan’s national border.