MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Tajikistan's President Emomali Rakhmon on Tuesday in the Russian city of Sochi on the Black Sea.

Speaking to his Tajik counterpart in front of television cameras Putin said he was concerned about the situation in the region.

"We have a need to discuss the bilateral relationship and the situation in the region, which of course worries us," Putin said addressing Rakhmon.

Tajikistan is a member of the Moscow-led military bloc, the Collective security Treaty Organization (ODKB). Talking in Sochi, Rakhmon said his country is worried by the situation across the border with Afghanistan.

"The situation is worsening daily in Afghanistan. In fact fighting is going on along more than 60 per cent of the border with Tajikistan, the neighboring country. It puts us on our guard. So I would like to discuss today at out meeting the issues of security arrangements in the region," Rakhmon said.

The situation in Afghanistan has worsened since the government and the Taliban confirmed in July that Taliban leader Mullah Omar had died two years ago, dashing hopes that the insurgents would quickly return to the negotiating table.

Fighting in Afghanistan killed 5,000 civilians in the first half of this year, more than at any point since the war started in 2001.

Training the 350,000 strong Afghan National Security Forces has been at the heart of the U.S plan to end involvement in its longest war. American and allied forces officially ended their combat role at the end of last year, leaving behind a training and advisory force of several thousand. (Tolonews)