BISHKEK, September 16. /TASS/. Officials from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have held negotiations to agree to put an end to armed clashes on the border, the Border Guard Service of Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security said on Friday.

"The heads of the state committees for national security of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, Kamchybek Tashiyev and Saimumin Yatimov, have agreed on a ceasefire as of 16:00 (13:00 Moscow time)," the news release reads.

Authorities of the Sughd Province of Tajikistan confirmed the agreement for ceasefire on the border with Kyrgyzstan, province head press office reported. "During the negotiations, the sides agreed to a ceasefire," the report says. 

The conflicting parties’ representatives had made several attempts to agree on an end to the clashes, but to little avail, and the armed conflict continued.

If Kyrgyzstan’s version of the events is to be believed, on Friday morning, Tajikistan began shelling the Kyrgyz border detachments in the areas of Eki-Tash, Chir-Dobo, Kum-Mazar, Kulundu, Maksat, Jany-Jer and Orto-Boz, as well as the Samarkandek outpost. Batken and its airport came missile strikes. A total of 42 Kyrgyz troops and civilians were injured. Dushanbe says about ten communities were attacked.

Tensions on the border between the two states escalated on September 14. According to the Kyrgyz side, Tajik border guards on Wednesday entered the border area near Bulak-Bashy, the Batken district of the Batken region of Kyrgyzstan and "took combat positions." In response to the demand for leaving the territory, the Tajik border guards opened fire. A shootout ensued. A few hours later, armed clashes also took place in the areas of Kak-Sai and Pasky-Aryk in the Batken Region. Toward the evening, the firing exchanges ceased. The Kyrgyz side reported two wounded servicemen and three injured civilians.