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Tajik military blow up automobile bridge in Batken Region — Kyrgyzstan

The bridge connected the banks of the Ak-Suu River

BISHKEK, September 17. /TASS/. Tajikistan’s military have blown up a 36-meter road bridge in the Batken region of Kyrgyzstan, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan said on Saturday.

"On the 7th kilometer of the Kok-Tash - Aksai - Tamdyk road the Tajik military blew up a 36-meter bridge," the report says. The bridge connected the banks of the Ak-Suu River.

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. On Saturday, Kyrgyzstan’s border guards for the first time said there had been a shelling of the Osh Region. All of the previous incidents occurred in the Batken Region.

According to the latest statistics, in Kyrgyzstan 24 civilians were killed and more than 120 others injured. The Kyrgyz authorities have evacuated more than 136,000 local residents. A state of emergency has been imposed on the Batken Region.

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Tajikistan Kyrgyzstan

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