Over the last few days, Taliban forces have swept across Afghanistan, finally capturing the capital city of Kabul on Sunday. Some, like Pakistan, are prepared to embrace the Taliban with open arms, while others, like Tajikistan, greatly fear their growing influence. When Moscow invaded Afghanistan in 1979, Tajikistan, along with the other Soviet Socialist Republics in Central Asia, supported the takeover. However, some factions within Tajikistan still supported the Taliban and continue to pose a security challenge for Dushanbe. Faced with these border concerns, Tajikistan has called upon its partners in the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) for assistance.

Source: Indian Express August 16, 2021 15:45 UTC