Visit a small border town in Uzbekistan: From here, you can see Afghanistan at a glance

After the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan, the Khorasan branch of the Islamic State extremist organization made a comeback and even planned transnational attacks against neighboring countries. Phoenix reporters came to the border area between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan and observed that Uzbekistan is trying to establish a regional coordination mechanism and become a security mediator in Central Asia.

In the area bordering the border between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, there is a small town called Termez . It is located in the desert. In ancient times, it was an important trade route connecting China and the West. It has a history of more than 2,500 years and has left many relics from the first to the sixth century AD. But now everything is covered by the wind and sand. middle.

The reporter arrived near the border of Termez at around 6 pm local time, and still felt the heat wave burning. Afghanistan could be seen not far away , with yellow sand everywhere and harsh natural conditions.

According to data provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund, as of June 30 this year, more than 8.2 million Afghans of various identities lived in Uzbekistan, as well as Tajikistan, Pakistan and Iran.

Although Uzbekistan has closed its borders, it is still possible to enter the country from Afghanistan .

In Termez, more than 100 Afghans have received bachelor’s degrees from the Tashkent State University of Uzbek Language and Literature and the Tashkent State Transport University. Afghan children also study and receive certificates at the IT camp in Termez.

Shuhrat, Director of the Termez Tourism Bureau:

There are also Afghan refugees crossing the border to Termez. This situation was very common two or three years ago when the political situation in Afghanistan was extremely turbulent. It still exists now, but not as much as before. In order to improve public security, our local police station has deployed additional personnel to patrol at night, and has also set up responsible stations around each important historical site to protect people’s safety.

At night, Termez did not impose a strict curfew, but the hotel where the reporter lived began to lose water and electricity. Since the local area is a border city and military area close to Afghanistan , for the sake of counter-terrorism and public security, local control has been implemented for a long time. In the downtown area at night, the reporter saw many police cars parked on the roadside.

After Mirziyoyev came to power, he not only focused on improving the domestic economy, but also focused on diplomacy, hoping to become a security mediator in Central Asia . On the Afghan issue, Uzbekistan frequently communicates with Afghanistan on issues such as bilateral trade, transit convenience, and border free trade zones . Especially after the United States withdraws its troops from Afghanistan in 2021, Uzbekistan actively mediates to promote the United States and others to establish contact with the Afghan Taliban.

Mirziyoye also proposed that the SCO should lend a helping hand to Afghanistan and provide it with a practical path to get rid of the crisis that has lasted for many years through social and economic growth and integration into the regional and global development process.

Source: Reported by Gao Yuejia and Ge Jingtermez of Phoenix TV

Editor: Wang Erya