KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A high-level delegation from Tajikistan arrived in Kabul on Saturday, the first official visit by senior Tajik officials to Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021.
According to the Taliban-controlled Bakhtar News Agency, the delegation includes representatives from Tajikistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and security agencies. Discussions are expected to focus on bilateral cooperation, joint projects, and the status of Afghanistan’s embassy in Dushanbe.
The visit follows earlier meetings in Kunduz province, where Tajik officials met Taliban representatives, indicating a gradual improvement in diplomatic relations. Previously, Taliban-appointed Balkh governor Yousuf Wafa visited Dushanbe at Tajikistan’s invitation.
Tajikistan was initially a strong critic of the Taliban after their takeover, influenced by its historical ties to the Northern Alliance, which fought the Taliban in the 1990s. Its stance has softened as the Taliban have engaged diplomatically and economically with regional neighbors, including China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, and Uzbekistan.
Unlike many other countries in the region, the Afghanistan embassy in Dushanbe remains under the control of diplomats appointed by the previous government. Security along the border is a key concern, particularly threats from the Salafi-jihadist group Jamaat Ansarullah, which Tajik authorities say operates in northern Afghanistan.
The Taliban regime remains largely unrecognized internationally. Russia is currently the only country to have formally recognized the group, a move criticized by other nations and rights organizations. During the Taliban’s first rule in the 1990s, only Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates granted recognition.
