24 dead in Kyrgyzstan in escalating border conflict with Tajikistan

As a result of an armed conflict at the Kyrgyz-Tajik border, 24 Kyrygz citizens were killed and another 103 injured, the Kyrgyz Minister of Health announced in local publication Kloop.

Kamchybek Tashiyev, head of Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security, announced that the victims are mostly military. However, among the dead are a 15-year old girl, and among the wounded at least six children, from nine months to 11 years old.

Tajikistan has not commented on the victims of the conflict.

Clashes on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border began on September 14. On September 16, Kyrgyzstan announced that fighting had spread the entire length of the border. The two sides agreed several times to ceasefires, but the agreements were not respected. Kyrgyz authorities have announced the evacuation of 136,000 people from the conflict zone. Kyrgyzstan has declared a state of emergency in the border region of Batken.

Conflicts on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border occur regularly due to about 70 disputed sections of the border. Currently, the two sides mutually agree on only about 70% of their common border (more than 660 kilometers, or 410 miles). Border negotiations have been ongoing since 2002.