Governor of Kyrgyzstan’s Batken about situation on border and results of negotiations

Bishkek, April 13, 2021 . / Kabar /. Governor of Kyrgyzstan’s Batken Oblast Abdikarim Alimbaev told about the results of negotiations with the Tajik side.

Thus, as a result of the meeting it was decided to:

- identify causes of yesterday's incident at the border and conduct a joint investigation.

- withdraw additional personnel, military equipment and weapons from the border areas,

- introduce joint patrolling on the Arka-Isfara road by the law enforcement agencies of the two countries,

- hold extended meetings of the delegations of the two republics at the scene of the incident at 11:00 a.m.

"At the moment, the situation is assessed as stable and under control. Now heads of border Batken region (Kyrgyzstan) and Isfara town (Tajikistan) are planning to hold a meeting. We stay in the villages of Maksat, Kulundu and Zhany-Zher until stability is established and additional military forces leave the territory," Alimbaev said.

In evening of April 12, Tajik border guards entered the territory of Kyrgyzstan. In order to prevent the passage of Tajik border guards deep into the territory, the border detachment of the Border Service of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan fired warning shots into the air. In response, the Tajik border guards opened fire on the Kyrgyz border guards. As a result of negotiations between the border representatives of the two states, the shooting was stopped.

However, at about 21:17, during the negotiations between the border representatives of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, the border guards of Tajikistan, who arrived at the scene of the incident as a reinforcement, opened fire on the Kyrgyz servicemen. A second firefight ensued, during which a Kyrgyz soldier was wounded. Further, the Tajik side began shelling the Kyrgyz village of Dostuk from mortars.

At 22:15, the Tajik side stopped the mortar attack.

Residents of the villages of Dostuk, Arka, Borborduk, Zhashtyk and Maksat began to leave their homes at night.

The Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic reported two victims from the Kyrgyz side - one military and one civilian, who received shrapnel wounds.