China ramping up military presence in Afghanistan, may go for joint operations at borders: ICG Report
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LONDON - *The International Crisis Group has said in a report that China’s military is ramping up its security presence in Afghanistan and Tajikistan amid fears that militants could strike at western China.*
The independent think tank stated that China has deployed soldiers and built a “counter-terrorism center” in Tajikistan near the three-way border of Tajikistan, China, and Afghanistan.
Afghanistan Military also declared that Afghan forces will take military actions with China in bordering areas between the two countries and the regional countries should cooperate the country in the fight against terrorism.
China has repeatedly warned about ethnic Uighur militants who have left their homeland in western China to join extremist groups such as the Turkistan Islamic Party, a predominantly Uighur group that has bases in Syria and Afghanistan and is allied with al-Qaida and the Taliban.
In the meantime, the Afghan government has taken preparation to launch operation under the name of “Nasrat” to suppress the insurgent groups which includes in the Badakhshan, the neighboring province of China.
“Insurgents have their presence in cooperation with the local Taliban in Badakhshan and the foreign Taliban are also supporting and training them,” said Ahmad Faisal Beghzad, the governor of Badakhshan.
This comes as the regional countries have always voiced concern over the presence of extremist groups in Afghanistan.
