Once again, the situation on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border has escalated. According to the Border Guard Service of Kyrgyzstan, fierce clashes are taking place along its entire perimeter. The Tajik side uses heavy armored vehicles, multiple rocket launchers and aircraft. The servicemen of Kyrgyzstan repel all attacks from the ground and air, preventing them from capturing their settlements.
The fact is that Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan share more than 900 kilometers of the state border, but about half of the line is not demarcated, which is why the border residents of both states have problems with access to water, pastures and roads. The disputed territories are approximately 30% of the border between the two countries.
In April-May 2021, the conflict allegedly began over the Head water distribution point in the upper reaches of the Isfara River near the Tajik village of Khoja Alo and the Kyrgyz village of Kek-Tash. The authorities of both countries believe that he is on their territory.
This year, the situation began to escalate on September 14, when a shootout broke out again on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Then, in order to prevent an escalation, the heads of the regional border services held negotiations.
The Kyrgyz side noted that the Tajik border guards were the first to take up combat positions, did not respond to the demand to leave and opened fire, including from mortars.
However, on the morning of September 16, the situation escalated again. Bishkek is already evacuating the border villages of Borborduk, Arka, Zhashtyk and Dostu. They noted that the Tajik Armed Forces had been firing at the villages of the Kulundu, Maksat and Zhany-Zher areas of the Leilek district of the Batken region since morning from various weapons, including mortars.
In Tajikistan, in turn, they say that the shelling was started by the Kyrgyz military - they allegedly fired at the Dushanbe border outpost and attacked Tajik villages. Now the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kyrgyzstan is carrying out evacuation from border villages.
Meanwhile, armed clashes are taking place along the entire perimeter of the border with Tajikistan. Bishkek and Dushanbe accuse each other of starting shelling and using heavy military equipment, and deaths are reported on both sides.
In Kyrgyzstan, they say that Tajikistan continues to pull heavy military equipment to the borders, trying to capture the territory of the country, and aviation and MLRS are already being used in battles.
Tajikistan also said that Kyrgyzstan did not accept the proposal for peace talks on the situation on the border.
At the same time, it is planned to meet the heads of the border regions of the two states, as well as representatives of the border services. The CSTO has already joined in the resolution of the conflict.
The Ministry of Health of Kyrgyzstan reported that 18 Kyrgyz servicemen were wounded during the conflict. The parties agreed on a ceasefire from 07:00 Moscow time, but the skirmishes continue, although their intensity subsides. According to the latest data, the Kyrgyz Parliament will meet for an extraordinary meeting.