DUSHANBE, 27.01.2022 (NIAT Khovar) – Today, at approximately 17:20 local time, a group of 50 unidentified Kyrgyz citizens from the village council of Aksai of the Batken region forcibly stopped the car of a Tajik citizen, transporting sand, and moving through the Tajik territory from the settlement of Khojai-Alo to the settlement of Somoniyon of Isfara district, reported the Press Center of the Border Troops of the State Committee for National Security of Tajikistan. The incident occured on the bridge near the settlement of Khojai-Alo.

In order to prevent the illegal action of Kyrgyz citizens, a meeting was scheduled at the level of representatives of local authorities and law enforcement agencies of the city of Isfara of the Sughd region of Tajikistan.

However, the Kyrgyz side did not come to the meeting. Instead, at about 18:10 local time, the Kyrgyz border guards, who had taken up firing positions along the perimeter of the pass bridge (275 meters), opened fire on Tajik civilians. There are casualties among Tajik civilians and border guards.

There is a relocation of individual paramilitary units and subunits, as well as military equipment to the border areas of the Batken region.

At the moment, shots are continuing to be fired from the Kyrgyz side in the direction of Tajik residents, vehicles and various infrastructure facilities. Border outposts are being fired from mortars.

Flights of unmanned aerial vehicles violating Tajikistan’s airspace have also been recorded.

Currently, in order to hide its illegal actions, the Kyrgyz side is actively distributing massive fake and false information in the media and various Internet resources.