KABUL – Gen. Gurbonov Bakhodir, head of Uzbekistan’s State Security Service, arrived in Kabul on Tuesday at the head of a senior delegation and met with Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, the Taliban’s Minister of Defense, to discuss cooperation on border security and other regional issues.
In a statement, the Taliban’s Ministry of Defense said the discussions centered on enhancing border cooperation, establishing direct communication channels, and addressing other matters of mutual concern.
The meeting comes as both countries share a nearly 144-kilometer border, making security coordination crucial amid growing cross-border trade and regional connectivity projects.
According to the Taliban statement, the Uzbek delegation expressed satisfaction with what it described as “nationwide security and economic progress” in Afghanistan and underscored Tashkent’s interest in expanding bilateral ties. Yaqoob Mujahid, in turn, thanked Uzbekistan for supporting the Taliban in international forums and called for further strengthening of relations, including in defense and infrastructure sectors.
Uzbekistan has emerged as one of the key regional players engaging with the Taliban since the group’s return to power in August 2021. Despite the lack of formal recognition, Tashkent has maintained close political and economic contact with the Taliban, focusing on security cooperation and large-scale regional projects such as the proposed Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan railway corridor.
Over the past two years, high-level delegations from both sides have exchanged visits between Kabul and Tashkent, resulting in the signing of multiple agreements on trade, transit, and energy cooperation.
Tuesday’s meeting reflects steps by Tashkent to keep diplomatic and security channels open at a time when Afghanistan faces heightened human rights, economic, and humanitarian crises as well as growing security concerns along its northern borders.
