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Russia worried over conflict at Kyrgyz-Tajik border — foreign ministry

A shootout between Kyrgyz and Tajik border guards was reported on Thursday

MOSCOW, January 28. /TASS/. Moscow is worried over reports of the January 27 armed incident at the Tajik-Kyrgyz border, the Russian foreign ministry said on Friday.

"We are concerned over the reports about an armed incident at the Kyrgyz-Tajik border on January 27. Regrettably, it entailed casualties on both sides," it said.

The ministry welcomed "the agreements between the Kyrgyz and Tajik sides on a ceasefire and a troop pullout from the border, and on joint patrols of this section."

"We support the call by Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization Stanislav Zas for Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to resolve emerging differences solely by peaceful diplomatic means," the ministry added.

A shootout between Kyrgyz and Tajik border guards was reported by Kyrgyzstan’s Border Service on Thursday. It said that the Tajik side had used grenade launchers and mortars. The conflict was sparked after Tajik soldiers blocked a motorway linking the Kyrgyz cities of Isfana and Batken. An exchange of fire lasted for several hours until a ceasefire was reached at about 00:00 Moscow time on January 28.

The border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has several non-delimitated sections, triggering recurrent conflicts between the two countries’ border guards and local residents.