Afghanistan: Over 1,000 Afghan Soldiers Flee to Tajikistan

More than 1,000 Afghan soldiers have fled to the neighbouring Tajikistan after clashing with Taliban militants, officials said. The troops retreated over the border to “save their own lives”, according to a statement by Tajikistan’s border guard. Violence has risen in Afghanistan and the Taliban have been making significant gains, particularly in the north of the country, in recent weeks. The surge comes as the U.S., UK and their allies have started withdrawing their troops after 20 years. The vast majority of remaining foreign forces in Afghanistan have left ahead of a September deadline. There are concerns that the Afghan…