KHUJAND, January 15, 2014, Asia-Plus — In a report released at a news conference in Khujand, Sughd chief prosecutor Sharif Qurbonov revealed on January 14 that an investigation has been launched into recent exchanges of gunfire along the Kyrgyz-Tajik border.
According to him, the Sughd military prosecutor’s office has instituted criminal proceedings under the provisions of two articles of Tajikistan’s Penal Code: Article 104 (2) – murder and Article 335 – illegal border crossing.
“I visited the scene of incident and I can say for sure that the incident took place in Tajik territory,” Sughd chief prosecutor said.
According to him, Kyrgyz border guards allegedly crossed into Tajik territory without permission. “”Our border guards asked them to leave the territory of Tajikistan, but Kyrgyz border guards began to swear at them and open fire first,” Qurbonov said, noting that Tajik border guards just returned fire on them.
Two Tajik border guards and five Kyrgyz border guards were injured in exchange of gunfire along the Tajik-Kyrgyz border, Sughd chief prosecutor added.
We will recall that tensions escalated into exchanges of gunfire along the Kyrgyz-Tajik border on January 11.
In a statement released on January11, Tajikistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) blamed the Kyrgyz side for starting the problem. The Tajik statement said the incident started on January 11 at 12:20 after Kyrgyz workers using armed cover of soldiers started doing work on a road, part of which passes through Tajikistan.
Meanwhile, Kyrgyz authorities say a clash on the border of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan can be regarded as a military operation planned in advance by the Tajik side. Kyrgyz deputy Prime Minister Tokon Mamytov said on January 12 in Bishkek that the clash must have been carefully prepared because it involved “ordnance, namely, mortars, and grenade-launchers.”
The Kyrgyz Foreign ministry issued a statement on January 13, in which the ministry said it was “perplexed” by Tajikistan”s earlier official statement saying that the Kyrgyz side was responsible for the January 11 incident. The Kyrgyz MFA statement called on Tajikistan to refrain from making any further statements until the incident can be thoroughly investigated by both sides.
