Kyrgyz, Tajik guards exchange fire in border shootout

10 March 2022


On Thursday, Kyrgyz and Tajik border guards exchanged fire at a disputed section of the border between the two countries. This was reported by the Border Guard Service of the Kyrgyz State Committee for National Security.


"On March 10, 2022, there was an incident involving the use of weapons at the Kyrgyz-Tajik section of the state border," the report said.


According to the border agency, Tajik border guards in the area of Teskei, Batken province of Kyrgyzstan, "having changed their previously used route of movement," came to a "new border protection line" and demanded that Kyrgyz border guards leave the area. "Reinforcements arrived on the spot for the Tajik border guards. The Tajik border guards, using their numerical superiority, attempted to move to the new border line," the report says.


Nevertheless, Kyrgyz servicemen "did not allow the Tajik servicemen to realize their intentions". "As a result, an exchange of fire began, which lasted about 10 minutes. As a result of the exchange of fire there were no wounded or injured on the Kyrgyz side," the Border Service assured.


In connection with this incident, "the telephone conversation of border patrol representatives of the parties" was held. As a result, it was decided to withdraw the border patrol from the place of incident "until the arrival of border patrol representatives and to prevent other additional forces and means from being brought to the area".


At the same time, the Kyrgyz authorities emphasize that the area of Teskei is "an undescribed section of the state border, but it is actually used by citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic. "Border guard units (of Kyrgyzstan) stationed in Batken oblast have been transferred to a reinforced service," the report says.

 

 

GSV "Russia - Islamic world"

Photo: Creative Commons

Based on materials from TASS