Residents of border areas of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have held a joint iftar (a meal taken by Muslims at sundown to break the daily fast during Ramadan).
Centralasian.org says residents of border areas of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan held a joint iftar on April 27.
More than 30 elders and activists from Tajikistan’s Bobojon-Ghafourov district and Kyrgyzstan’s Leliek district reportedly participated in the iftar that was held in Ovchi-Qalacha Jamoat of the Bobojon-Ghafourov district.
Bobojon-Ghafourov district deputy chairperson, Ms. Dilorom Turusnzoda, told Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi, on April 28 that the iftar had been organized by the Tajik side to strengthen friendship and good neighborliness.
According to her, military personnel and heads of local village councils also participated in the iftar.
It is to be noted that residents of border areas of Tajikistan hold joint iftars practically every year.
Iftar is the evening meal with which Muslims end their daily Ramadan fast at sunset. They break their fast at the time of the call to prayer (adhan) for the evening prayer. This is their second meal of the day; the daily fast during Ramadan begins immediately after the pre-dawn meal of suhur and continues during the daylight hours, ending with sunset with the evening meal of iftar.
The border of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has been the scene of unrest repeatedly since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The latest clashes along the Tajik-Kyrgyz border took place on April 12. As a result of shootout between Tajik and Kyrgyz border guards, a 27-year-old Tajik border guard Zoir Saidumarov was fatally wounded; he died the same day at a hospital.
According to Kyrgyz sources, two Kyrgyz border guards and four Kyrgyz civilians were wounded in the incident.
