Published on: 09/16/2022 – 16:31 Modified on: 09/16/2022 – 18:45
Violent clashes erupted on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. They would have injured more than 30 people. The two ex-Soviet republics mutually transfer responsibility for the fighting.
Clashes have been escalating on the border between the two countries for a few days. But this Friday a remarkable step was taken. Tanks, mortar fire and large caliber weapons, heavy artillery were brought out. And this in particular around the capital of the south-western region of Kyrgyzstan, Batken, where the area surrounding the airport and various civilian infrastructures were bombed. The clashes reportedly left more than 30 people injured and nearly a dozen dead, according to local media.
Kyrgyzstan accused Tajikistan of “bombing Kyrgyz territory with all its available arsenal” and continuing to use “heavy equipment” including “heavy armor”, “multiple rocket launchers and aircraft”. Kyrgyzstan added that it would respond to “all ground and airstrikes”. For its part, Tajikistan accused Kyrgyz forces of opening fire on Tajik border crossings early Friday without immediately reporting casualties among its ranks.
Residents of several border villages have fled the combat zone, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Emergency Situations said, announcing the opening of reception centers. The local Red Crescent branch said at least 19,000 people living in the Kyrgyz city of Batken had been evacuated as a precaution.
Kyrgyz Presidents Sadyr Japarov and Tajik Presidents Emomali Rahmon, meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) regional summit in Uzbekistan, ordered their troops to “withdraw”. The ceasefire came at 4 p.m. local time, 10 a.m. UT.
In the morning, Russia had urged the two nations to take “urgent action” to end the escalation. But that Friday night, Bishkek and Dushanbe accused each other of raping him.
This type of confrontation between the two countries has been repeated for more than a year and often proves deadly, our regional correspondent recalls, Regis Gente. In particular, the border demarcation from the Soviet era, which was never completed, comes into question. Almost half of the 970 km of it is still not subject to an agreement between Bishkek and Dushanbe.