Armed skirmish reported at Tajik-Afghan border in Khatlon

DUSHANBE, May 20, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- A group of Tajik border guards and security officers came under fire of an unknown group on the night of May 19-20 while carrying out an investigation and search operation in the area patrolled by frontier post # 6 of the Panj border unit, Panj district in Khatlon province, Khoushnoud Rahmatulloyev, a spokesman for the Border Guard Directorate of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS), told Asia-Plus today.

“The border guards and security officers replied to their fire and they were forced to retreat to Afghan territory,” said the spokesman, “One assault rifle Kalashnikov, 10 kilograms of heroin, 2 kilograms of hashish and 2 kilograms of raw opium were found on the spot.”  No wounded was reported among the border guards and security officers, he added.