Representatives of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have agreed to continue measures to ease tensions on the common section of the border, where a conflict involving the use of weapons between soldiers of the two states occurred on April 12, the Border Guard Service (BGS) of the Kyrgyz State Committee for National Security (SCNS) reported Thursday.
"A meeting was held between the delegations of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Tajikistan. The Kyrgyz delegation was led by Ularbek Sharsheev, First Deputy Chairman - Director of the BGS of the SCNS. The Tajik delegation was led by First Deputy Chairman - Commander of Border Troops of the SCNS Rajabali Rakhmonali," the statement said.
According to the ministry, during the meeting it was agreed to continue to withdraw "additional forces and means, which were brought to the border during the border conflict, to their permanent deployment points" and to establish a working group to "clarify the routes of the border patrols" of both countries.
In addition, it was decided to conduct explanatory work with the local population of the border areas on the observance of previously reached agreements on the order of joint use of land and water. The Kyrgyz and Tajik border guard representatives in this region were instructed to ensure that military personnel of the border guard departments "accurately fulfill the requirements of the line of conduct of border guards on the Kyrgyz-Tajik section of the border.
"The situation on the Kyrgyz-Tajik section of the state border is characterized as relatively stable," the report says.
According to Bishkek, the conflict between the border guards of the two states began on April 12 after Tajik servicemen penetrated 20 meters into Kyrgyz territory near Selkana village, Leilek district, Batken region of Kyrgyzstan. During the day, the sides opened fire twice. In addition, Kyrgyzstan reported mortar fire from Tajikistan into the Kyrgyz village of Dostuk in the Batken region. On Wednesday night, the sides agreed to withdraw additional forces and equipment from the confrontation zone. Six people from the Kyrgyz side were wounded in the incident.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Creative Commons
Based on materials from TASS