BISHKEK, September 16. /TASS/. Tajikistan was preparing for the border conflict with Kyrgyzstan in advance by bringing heavy military equipment to the area, Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security said on Friday.
"Dushanbe blames Bishkek for creating a conflict situation, but the Tajik side had been making preparations in advance and it actively used tanks, mortars, armored vehicles and Grad multiple launch rocket systems," the news release says.
Kyrgyzstan says that Tajikistan has employed "all methods of hybrid warfare, while simultaneously spreading falsehoods in the social networks and information resources."
"In attacking cities and villages Tajikistan used, apart from border guards, all arms and services with the aim of capturing territories of the Kyrgyz Republic," the State Committee for National Security speculates.
Kyrgyzstan keeps urging Dushanbe to "sit down at the negotiating table and jointly resolving the situation."
If Bishkek’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. More than 40 Kyrgyz troops and civilians were injured.
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 fire exchanges ceased. The Kyrgyz side reported two wounded military servicemen and three injured civilians.