Russia observing with concern, tension between Afghanistan, Tajikistan

MOSCOW

Russia is observing with concern the tensions between Afghanistan and Tajikistan, deputy spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

Alexey Zaytsev gave information about the situation at the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border at a news conference, and said Russia is observing developments within the context of strong statements from both countries.

He said reports appeared about the deployment of armed forces by both sides to the shared border, and Moscow urges Dushanbe and Kabul to seek mutually acceptable alternatives to settle the current situation.

The Taliban accused Tajikistan on Sunday of interfering in Afghanistan's internal affairs.

That was after the Taliban government’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said one day earlier on Twitter that thousands of fighters were sent to Takhar province in northeastern Afghanistan, adjacent to Tajikistan, because of security threats.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan in Istanbul