Tajikistan closes borders with Afghanistan

Tajikistan has closed all of its border crossings with Afghanistan amid an armed conflict east of the country. According to Russian news agency (Ria Novosti), Khushnud Rakhmatullayev, Head of the State National Security Committee Border Guard press service, said the decision was made due to the ongoing "special operation" in Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region. Tajik security officials said 30 militants were killed and 40 were detained during the operation against a group believed to be behind the murder of Chief of the Tajikistan National Security Committee Abdullo Nazarov killed on July 21. Tajik opposition activists claim that the conflict was actually an attempt by President Emomali Rakhmon to suppress opposition in the region. They have accused Tajik authorities of using Nazarov’s murder. Authorities deny any casualties among civilians, but the opposition media reported about over 200 dead.