Heavy fighting near Tajik-Afghan border

Heavy fighting is reported to have taken place yesterday on the territory of Afghanistan, near the border with Tajikistan, former Soviet republic currently included in the CIS. Heavy artillery and mortars were used in the fighting which occurred near the Afghan towns of Ishkili, Karakutarma, and Zardkamad, Russia’s press-service in Tajikistan says. In view of the fightings becoming more frequent, some Russian border units have been put on heightened combat readiness, Interfax reports. According to the frontier guard, the warring parties have about 20,000 soldiers involved in the fightings, and also dozens of tanks, armoured vehicles, mortars, and helicopters.