Turkmenistan takes issue of murder of its border guards with Afghan President Karzai
By Agha Iqrar Haroon
Islamabad: Turkmenistan has taken the issue of murder of its border guards with Afghan President Karzai as constant criminal activities have been reported in border areas of Faryab and Badghis provinces on Turkmenistan-Afghan border. Turkmenistan believes that Afghan criminal groups are involved in killing Turkmenistan border guards with the support of Afghan border security staff. The matter has been discussed with Afghan President Hamid Karzai by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister of Turkmenistan Raşit Meredow during their meeting in Kabul.
According to Turkmenistan media, cross border criminal activities have been reported in past also and it has been noted that Afghan criminal gangs with the help of Afghan border security staff are trespassing Turkmenistan constantly. This matter was discussed at length during meeting of Deputy Prime Minister of Turkmenistan Raşit Meredow with Afghan President Hamid Karzai who accepted during the meeting that such incident are increasing, underlining the need for immediate measures to combat and stop criminal holdouts. He suggested a session be convened soon by the border security commission of both the states to contemplate over the issue while Meredow asked the Afghan government to probe into the border incidents and arrest the perpetrators.
In turn, President Karzai said, “We are informed about the recent attacks along the borders in Faryab and Jawzjan provinces and deem them as organized activities probably perpetrated by certain external elements.” Afghan president assured the Turkmen official that the Afghan government would start firm probes into the border incidents. He regarded the extensive cooperation between intelligence and security agencies of both the countries as important for thwarting criminal activities in the frontiers, and articulated that more Afghan security forces would be deployed in areas bordering Turkmenistan, reports Afghan media.
As the meeting concluded, the president directed the security agencies concerned and the National Security Council to share cooperation with Turkmenistan in curbing border attacks.
