RT Prosecutor General: Murder of Tajik border guards and Chinese workers is a provocation

The murder of Tajik border guards and Chinese workers is a provocation aimed at undermining Tajik—Chinese relations. This was stated at a press conference by the Prosecutor General of Tajikistan Habibullo Vohidzoda, reports "Orient Express 24".

According to him, the tragic deaths of two Tajik border guards and five Chinese citizens in the Shokhin and Darvaz districts indicate the provocative nature of these events.

"A Chinese citizen is busy with road construction work, why kill him? This indicates that there are individuals and criminal groups who do not want peace and tranquility or want to destroy our relations with China," Vohidzoda said.

He added that criminal cases are being investigated on these facts. The Prosecutor General stressed that Chinese specialists working in Tajikistan are mainly focused on road construction and mineral processing.

On November 26 and 30, 2025, clashes with armed groups infiltrating from the neighboring side occurred in the Tajik districts of Shokhin and Darvaz bordering Afghanistan. As a result, two Tajik border guards and five Chinese workers were killed. Five more Chinese citizens were injured.

Hayriddin Usmonzoda, head of the Center for Strategic Studies, said on February 9 that these attacks were carried out by groups that do not obey the Afghan authorities. Sirodjiddin Muhriddin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, confirmed that the law enforcement agencies of the two countries are cooperating to ensure border security.

After the incident, the Chinese Embassy in Dushanbe urged its citizens to avoid visiting the border areas of Tajikistan and Afghanistan, and also recommended temporarily leaving these areas.