Islamists from Tajikistan gain prominence in new Syrian government

New Delhi: Even as the Taliban assured India's foreign secretary that it will not allow Afghan soil to be used for anti-India activities, threats from radicals and Islamists are emerging in Tajikistan, which borders Afghanistan, and may emerge as a potential security challenge for both Afghanistan and India.

Saifiddin Tadjiboev, a native of Tajikistan, has joined as "colonel" in the Islamist-led Syrian Army and could emerge as the kingpin for terrorist activities in Central Asian states bordering Afghanistan, impacting interests of both the Taliban and India, experts on the Af-Pak region told ET.

Tadjiboev is wanted by Tajik law enforcement agencies on suspicion of "participation in foreign wars and terrorist operations", said one of the experts, who did not wish to be identified.


Last year, Tadjiboev was present in Afghanistan where he engaged with Gulmurod Khalimov, a former colonel of the internal affairs ministry of Tajikistan who joined the ISIS about ten years ago.