Afghan MP 4 April claimed that Taliban militants wounded in Kunduz region were being treated in Tajik hospitals. Tajik authorities denied this and late March allegation by Gen John Nicholson, U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, that Russian weapons are smuggled from Tajikistan into Afghanistan for Taliban use. Three people injured in clash between residents along border with Kyrgyzstan 3 April (see Kyrgyzstan).

Uzbek President Mirziyoyev visited Dushanbe 9-10 March for historic meeting with President Rahmon, who had poor personal relationship with Mirziyoyev’s predecessor, Islam Karimov. Rahmon and Mirziyoyev signed 27 bilateral agreements and made joint statement recognising that Tajik hydropower plants benefit region, and that Uzbekistan is ready to participate in construction of Rogun dam. Also agreed on 30-day visa-free regime for their citizens and re-opening of ten border checkpoints. Govt 26 March denied U.S. claims that Tajikistan is being used to transit Russian arms to Taliban in Afghanistan.

Authorities in city of Isfara late Jan shut down 45 mosques; mayor invoked sanitary conditions, also noted Isfara is home to many Tajiks known to be participating in armed conflicts in other countries. Ahead of 2020 elections, parliament 7 Feb approved amendment lowering presidential candidacy age from 35 to 30, which would allow candidacy of President Rahmon’s 30-year-old son Rustam Emomali, mayor of Dushanbe.

Uzbek PM Abdulla Aripov 10-11 Jan visited Dushanbe in preparation for historic milestone visit of Uzbek President Mirziyoyev planned early spring (see Uzbekistan). Aripov met President Rahmon, discussed trade, transit routes, export tariffs and security cooperation; signed deal allowing reciprocal visa-free travel for one month for their citizens. Countries also reached agreement on long-disputed Farkhad reservoir, territory around which will belong to Tajikistan, reservoir itself to Uzbekistan. Fifteen Tajik militants reported killed in airstrike in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province 15 Jan. Interior minister met with U.S. embassy official late Dec and agreed to exchange operational information and strengthen security cooperation; Tajikistan same day received Russian military equipment to enhance security on Afghan border.

Colonel killed and four border guards injured in shootout on Afghan border 2 Dec; Tajik authorities said assailants were drug smugglers, urged Afghan side to increase security along border. Lower house 7 Dec passed law forbidding religious political parties. Addressing OSCE conference 7 Dec, Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Aslov discussed Tajik security concerns over surge in terrorist activity in northern Afghanistan and risk posed by fighters from Syria relocating to Afghanistan.

As Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) began last training exercise of 2017 in Tajikistan, Russian Ambassador Igor Lyakin-Frolov 14 Nov said situation in Afghanistan is worsening. Foreign ministers of five Central Asian states 10 Nov signed Program on Mutual Cooperation for 2018-2019 outlining joint efforts on security, trade and economic cooperation during EU-Central Asia summit in Uzbekistan.

Defence Minister Sherali Mirzo met Uzbek counterpart Abdusalom Azizov in Dushanbe 11-13 Oct, pledged to improve bilateral trade; both met with Russian counterpart Sergey Shoigu at Commonwealth of Independent States defence ministers summit 12 Oct; Shoigu emphasised deteriorating Afghan security situation requiring close cooperation between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Court sentenced two brothers and nephew of former Colonel Gulmurod Khalimov, police commander who defected to Islamic State (ISIS) in 2015, to jail terms of seven to eighteen years, following convictions for inter alia attempting to fight as mercenaries, attempt to cross border illegally.

President Rahmon 1 Sept met Chinese President Xi in Beijing; signed 24 cooperation agreements including $230m in grant, $79m loan for power line construction in rural areas. Former Colonel Gulmurod Khalimov, police commander who defected to Islamic State (ISIS) in 2015, again reported killed in Russian airstrike on Deir el-Zour, eastern Syria 5 Sept. State news agency 7 Sept said OSCE mission in Tajikistan might be suspended if Mukhiddin Kabiri, leader of banned Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan, attended OSCE human rights conference in Poland 11 Sept; Kabiri attended conference.

Two audio messages surfaced 23 July and 3 Aug refuting death of former Colonel Gulmurod Khalimov, Tajik police commander who defected to Islamic State (ISIS) in 2015 and reportedly killed in Mosul, Iraq in April. Radio Ozodi 31 July also reported receiving two photographs of Khalimov.

Police reported four close relatives of former Colonel Gulmurod Khalimov, police commander who defected to Islamic State (ISIS) in 2015, killed in clash with security forces 4 July in Vose district, Kulyob province; interior ministry said they had joined ISIS and were planning to go to Afghanistan. Khalimov’s eighteen-year-old son sentenced to ten years’ prison in June for mercenary activities, reportedly to have been planning to travel to Syria. Tajikistan’s Centre for Strategic Studies 10 July warned that Islamic State-Khorasan in Afghanistan posed threat to Tajikistan and other Central Asian states. Authorities’ harassment of families of leadership of banned Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan reportedly picked up as party held conference in Germany 9 July.