Bishkek, September 16 (BNA) Kyrgyzstan accused Tajikistan of a new bombing late Friday evening despite the ceasefire agreement reached by the two countries’ presidents, as the bloody border conflict forced thousands of people to flee.
Kyrgyz President Sadir Gabarov and his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon agreed to order a ceasefire and troop withdrawal at a meeting in Uzbekistan on Friday, the office of the Kyrgyz president said.
The former Soviet republics, both allies of Russia, earlier accused each other of resuming fighting in a disputed area that has left at least three dead and dozens wounded, Reuters reported.
The Kyrgyz border guards said in a statement that the ceasefire will enter into force starting at 16:00 local time (10.00 GMT). The Tajik authorities confirmed that the agreement had been reached.
However, the Kyrgyz side said that two of its villages were bombed again after the agreement’s entry into force.
Moscow called earlier on Friday for a cessation of hostilities.
Kyrgyzstan said that Tajik forces, using tanks, armored personnel carriers, and mortars, entered at least one Kyrgyz village and bombed the airport of the Kyrgyz town of Batkin and nearby areas.
RIA quoted the Red Cross as saying that about 18,500 people had already left the area.
In turn, Tajikistan accused Kyrgyz forces of bombing a settlement outpost and seven villages with “heavy weapons” in the same area, which is famous for the geography of a political and ethnic jigsaw puzzle and became the site of similar hostilities last year, and nearly led to war.
Authorities in the Tajik city of Asfara said one civilian was killed and three wounded. Two Tajik border guards were killed earlier this week.
Kyrgyzstan reported one death and 55 injuries on Friday in the southern Batken province, which borders northern Tajikistan’s Sughd region and includes Tajikistan’s Vorokh region, a major flashpoint in the recent conflicts.
Gabrov and Rakhmon attended the regional security and cooperation summit in Uzbekistan on Friday. Neither of them mentioned the conflict in their speeches at the event, which was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and other leaders.
Clashes at poorly demarcated borders are frequent, but usually decline rapidly.
Border issues in Central Asia largely stem from the Soviet era.