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Tajikistan’s irregular paramilitaries participated in hostilities — Kyrgyz MFA

Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev has drawn the attention of the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to the fact that the Kyrgyz side took decisive retaliatory measures solely for the purpose of self-defense

BISHKEK, September 17. /TASS/. Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubayev has told UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that irregular paramilitaries had been participating in the recent clashes on the Tajik side.

"Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev has drawn the attention of the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to the fact that the Kyrgyz side took decisive retaliatory measures solely for the purpose of self-defense and protection of its sovereign territory from an unprovoked invasion by the Tajik army and irregular paramilitary groups," Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Ministry said in a news release on Saturday.

The UN Secretary-General’s press service reported that in a telephone conversation Guterres said he was following the situation with deep concern and stressed the inadmissibility of a further aggravation of the conflict, as well as the importance of its speedy settlement through a constructive peaceful dialogue.

He also confirmed his readiness for a face-to-face meeting with Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov in New York on September 20.

Tensions on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan escalated on September 14. According to the Kyrgyz side, Tajik border guards on Wednesday had 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 fire attack against the Osh Region. All of the previous incidents occurred in the Batken Region.

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Tajikistan Kyrgyzstan

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