RFE
04 May 2021, 23:45 GMT+10
BISHKEK -- The situation on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border remains stable after deadly clashes in recent days as both sides continue to blame each other for the violence.
Kyrgyzstan's Interior Ministry said on May 4 that police were in control of the situation in the southwestern Batken Province that borders Tajikistan's Sughd Province a day after both sides announced the withdrawal of military units from the border.
.
According to the ministry, Kyrgyz experts are working on liquidating unexploded shells near the village of Aktatyr after fighting broke out over water facilities in territory claimed by both Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Deputy Health Minister Aliza Soltonbekova said on May 4 that a total of 36 Kyrgyz citizens died, 189 people were injured, and 58,000 were evacuated during the violence that erupted on April 28 and lasted for almost three days, Kyrgyz officials say, over the Tajik move to install surveillance cameras on the disputed part of the border.
SEE ALSO: Conflict On The Kyrgyz-Tajik Border Moves From Sticks And Stones To Bullets And Bombs
According to Soltonbekova, 51 injured people remain in hospitals in Bishkek and 49 individuals injured in the clashes are being treated in hospitals in the Batken region.
Tajik authorities have not published information on casualties but correspondents of RFE/RL's Tajik Service have reported from the area that at least 18 Tajik citizens, including 10 military personnel, were killed, 90 people were injured, and a number of private houses were destroyed or damaged in the villages of Khojai Alo and Somoniyon during the armed clashes.
Like many other border areas in Central Asia, almost half of the 970-kilometer-long Kyrgyz-Tajik border has not been demarcated, leading to tensions over the past 30 years.
The latest fighting was the heaviest in years and raised fears of a wider conflict between the two impoverished neighbors.
The European Union, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and Russia have all urged both sides to respect the cease-fire agreement.
Both Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan host Russian military bases.
Prosecutors from both Central Asian states have launched criminal cases into the deadly violence, accusing each other of deliberately 'encroaching' into each other's territory.
Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Republished with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036
Get a daily dose of Asia Bulletin news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Asia Bulletin.
More InformationNEW YORK CITY, New York: New York State's highest court has struck down a law this week that would have allowed over 800,000 legal...
The death toll in Gaza on the weekend has passed 50,000, local health authorities have reported. What started the carnage was the Hamas-led...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced plans to invest up to US$100 million in research to develop...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has removed a 2024 advisory from its website that called gun...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Industry leaders are pushing the Trump administration to clear regulatory obstacles slowing the rollout of self-driving...
NEW YORK, New York – Israeli military forces caused deaths and unnecessary suffering of Palestinian patients while occupying hospitals...
BOSTON, Massachusetts: Private equity investor William Chisholm has agreed to buy the Boston Celtics in a record-breaking deal worth...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The cost of borrowing for a home in the U.S. ticked up again this week, marking the second straight increase as homebuyers...
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA: Apple's ambitious foray into streaming is proving costly, with the company reportedly losing over US$1 billion...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Gold's record-breaking rally is expected to continue, with Citi Research increasing its three-month price...
BOSTON, Massachusetts: A routine safety mechanism at data centers nearly triggered a regional power crisis last summer, highlighting...
PARIS, France: Air France is making a bold bet on luxury travel with the launch of an upgraded first-class suite, aiming to attract...