In two days, at least 347 refugees from Afghanistan crossed the border into Tajikistan, a Central Asian country, and fled a full-scale offensive by Taliban militants when foreign troops retreated.

The state information agency Khovar quoted Tajik border guards on Wednesday as saying that the refugees “flee the Taliban to save their lives” and added that two babies died during the transit.

With the retreat of foreign troops, fighters in recent weeks have placed large areas of the country under their control.

In June, they captured Afghanistan’s main Hirhan bandar It is located on the border of Tajikistan in the northernmost part of Afghanistan, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the city of Kunduz.

On Wednesday, they claimed to have taken a strategic border crossing Rotating Poldak At the border with Pakistan.

However, the Afghan Ministry of Internal Affairs insisted that the attacks by armed groups were repelled and government forces had taken control.

Afghan refugees

Tajikistan said the refugees included about 64 boys and 113 girls who crossed the border from Afghanistan’s Badakhshan Province with herds of livestock.

Hoval said in a statement: “The Tajik border guards, under the guidance of humanitarian principles and good-neighborly friendship, allow Afghan refugees to enter.”

It said the group of Afghans were placed in two locations in the Murghab Mountains in the eastern part of the former Soviet Union.

Border guards said they confiscated more than 3.5 kilograms (7.7 pounds) of drugs from Afghans who crossed the border into Tajikistan.

The refugees brought livestock, including 300 yaks, 3 camels and 30 horses.

Border guards stated that the situation along the common border with Afghanistan has been brought under control.

Earlier Wednesday, the Kremlin’s special envoy to Tajikistan, Zamir Kabulov, told the Russian news agency RIA Novosti that Moscow is “closely monitoring” the situation on the border between Afghanistan and Central Asian countries.

But he added that the Taliban reiterated that they would not launch attacks on Afghanistan’s neighbors.

The challenge we face is to act seriously and sincerely based on these beliefs. Because there are different agendas at work.

The world opposes the seizure of power by violence and force. It will not legitimize such behavior.

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 14, 2021

Also on Wednesday, the Foreign Minister of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) called on the Afghan side to stop violence and start peace talks on the future of Afghanistan.

The SCO foreign ministers issued a joint statement after a meeting in the Tajik capital Dushanbe, expressing concern about the increasing concentration of illegal organizations and armed groups in the northern part of the country.

“One of the most important factors to maintain and strengthen the security and stability of the SCO space is to resolve the situation in Afghanistan at an early date,” the diplomat said.

They also urged the Afghan government to step up efforts aimed at restoring peace, developing the national economy, and combating “terrorism” and drug crimes.

Subramanyam Jashankar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of India, said on Twitter: “The world opposes the seizure of power through violence and force. It will not legitimize such acts.”

Recently, the CNN Broadcasting Company stated that a verified video appeared, showing a group of Afghan commandos were shot and killed by the Taliban in June after surrendering.

On Wednesday, U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters: “I should say that we have no reason to suspect that this video depicts a terrible scene. The killing of unarmed people — in this case, a massacre — This is a brutal act. This is a heinous sight, and of course we condemn it.”