The Taliban interim government has called on Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to resolve their problems through negotiations.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, an Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan official and the current spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, tweeted this on January 31.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was sad to hear about clashes between border forces of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and human casualties. …We call on both countries to resolve their problems through a dialogue,” Abdul Qahar posted on his Tweeter.
The latest clashes erupted along a segment on the countries’ mutual border on January 27.
The press center of Tajikistan’s Main Border Guard Directorate reported Friday (January 28) morning that two Tajik nationals were killed and at least ten others, including 6 border guards and 4 civilians, were wounded in the fighting.
The Kyrgyz side says eleven Kyrgyz nationals were wounded in the fighting.
The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) that includes both Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan said its secretary-general held talks with officials from both sides in an attempt to halt the fighting.
CSTO Secretary-General Stanislav Zas reportedly had telephone conversation with Tajikistan’s Security Council Secretary Nasrullo Mahmoudzoda and his Kyrgyz counterpart Marat Imankuov on the night of January 27 and “called for an immediate ceasefire between the parties on the border of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.”
In the early hours of January 28, at 01:00 am, competent agencies of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan held talks in Tajikistan’s Surkh jamoat and reached a full cease-fire.
Both countries accused each other of starting the clashes in the Tort-Kocho area in Kyrgyzstan’s western Batken region.
According to a statement released Tajikistan’s SCNS, the Kyrgyz side fired at Tajik “residents, vehicles, and facilities.”
Kyrgyzstan’s security officials said the conflict started when Tajik citizens blocked a road crossing the disputed segment of the border. Kyrgyz border guards deployed along this segment of the border in Batken region were put on alert. Tajik military used mortars and grenade launchers.”
On January 29, Tajik and Kyrgyz security authorities agreed to start implementing the protocol of May 1, 2021 in eight days
The parties reportedly agreed to take into consideration the basic documents, signed as a result of the work of their parity commissions, during negotiations. They agreed that protocols requirements must be strictly implemented.
