The Prosecutor-General’s Office of Tajikistan accuses Kyrgyz military servicemen and a group of Kyrgyz civilians of attacking Chorkuh jamoat, which is subordinate to the Tajik northern city of Isfara.
In this regard, the Prosecutor-General’s Office of Tajikistan on April 29, 2021 instituted criminal proceedings under the provisions of Article 104 (2) of Tajikistan’s Penal Code – murder of two or more persons, including in connection with the performance by them of their official activities; committed in a way dangerous to the lives of many people; organized by a group of people for selfish motives, as well as equally associated with robbery or banditry; on the basis of national, racial, religious, regional hatred or enmity, or blood feud.
Tajik chief prosecutor’s office accuses Kyrgyz military servicemen and separate citizens of this country of murders and waging the war of aggression.
According to the Prosecutor-General’s Office, the instigators of the provocation were Kyrgyz border guards.
Recall, the Prosecutor-General’s Office of Kyrgyzstan had earlier instituted criminal proceedings over the April-28-29 clashes on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border. The criminal proceedings were instituted under the provisions of Article 380 of Kyrgyzstan’s Criminal Code – a crime against the peace. In a report released at a briefing in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Deputy Interior Minister, Erkebek Ashirkhojayev, noted on April 29 that eleven the criminal proceedings have been instituted over the latest clashes along Kyrgyzstan’s common border with Tajikistan on the border under the provisions of the following articles of the country’s Criminal Code: murder; rioting; a crime against the peace; hooliganism; and Illegal border crossing.
The clashes broke out last week along the border between Tajikistan's Sughd province and Kyrgyzstan's southern Batken region because of a dispute over a water distribution facility located in the upper reaches of the Isfara River, which both countries claim as their own.
Villagers from opposing sides hurled rocks at each other on April 28 and border guards joined the fray with assault rifles, machine guns and mortars on April 29.
Kyrgyz authorities reported 36 people killed, all but three of them civilians, and 182 wounded.
Local government sources in Tajikistan said 16 people had been killed on its side, including six border guards and one policeman, and more than 100 wounded.
Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan agreed a complete ceasefire on May 1 after the worst violence in decades along the Tajik-Kyrgyz border that killed more than 50 people. The chiefs of the security agencies of Tajikistan (Saymumin Yatimov) and Kyrgyzstan (Kamchybek Tashiyev) heading the country’s delegations signed the protocol on ceasefire and withdrawal of troops.
The border of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan has been the scene of unrest repeatedly since the collapse of the former Soviet Union.
Border talks between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan began in 2002. The countries share 976 kilometers of border – of which only 504 kilometers has reportedly been properly delineated, leading to tensions for the past 30 years.
