Shooting between the Taliban and Uzbekistan border guards

A group of armed Afghans infiltrated the territory of Uzbekistan and opened fire on border guards.

Photo: Internet

As reported by the press service of the border troops of the state security service, on August 21, on the territory of the Aral Paygambor Island in the Surkhandarya region, a group of citizens from Afghanistan violated the state border of Uzbekistan and docked at the island with their boats. A shootout ensued between them.

The press service of the border troops reported that during the operation, all violators – 24 citizens of Afghanistan were detained.

At the same time, the Afghan news agency ToloNews reported that the detainees were “Taliban forces.” The Taliban police spokesperson for Balkh province, Maulavi Idris, confirmed that an incident did indeed occur at the specified location. Representatives of the local Taliban authorities were sent to the area to clarify the situation, he stated.

According to the border service of Uzbekistan, the reason for the border incident is the illegal harvesting of licorice root, which grows in large quantities in the border zone of Uzbekistan.

Currently, the territory of Aral Paygambor Island is under full control of the border troops of Uzbekistan, the agency reports.