DUSHANBE, 09.05.2020. (NIAT Khovar) – Yesterday at 17:05, Kyrgyz citizens began sowing crops in an area of 4 hectares in the territory of the site named after Ibodullo Fayzullaev in the Chorkuh rural community in Isfara, which is located in the territory of Tajikistan. This was done without coordination with the local executive authorities.

In order to prevent this illegal action, Kyrgyz citizens were notified by Tajiks that the specified site is located within Tajik territory. Kyrgyz border guards and Kyrgyz citizens were invited to leave the Tajik territory. However, the Kyrgyz side proceeded to incite approximately 80 of their citizens living in the Koktosh area in Aksay rural community of Kyrgyz Batken to riot. As a result, Kyrgyz citizens began to throw stones at Chorkuh residents, and proceeded to open fire at them with firearms.

At 18:10, 30 Kyrgyz border guards from the Batken border detachment and 10 police officers escalated the situation by opening fire from Kalashnikov assault rifles and machine guns at the civilian population of Tajikistan. As a result, in order to defend themselves and Tajik civilians, Tajik border guards were forced to return fire.

As a result of the shootout, two Tajik citizens, 37-year-old Fazliddin Fozilov and 49-year-old Ayomiddin Sharipov, were injured and later hospitalized.

Negotiations aimed at normalizing the situation are currently underway between the representatives of Tajik and Kyrgyz state authorities and border agencies.