Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan start armed conflict over fresh water

The border service of Kyrgyzstan accused Tajikistan of attacking three border posts, 24.kg reports.

"At about 5 p.m., the Tajik side opened fire at Kapchygay, Min-Bulak, Dostuk border posts, as well as at Kozhogar and Bulak-Bashi border posts. As a result of the mortar attacks, the building of the Dostuk border outpost caught fire,” Bishkek said.

In response, a detachment of special forces of Kyrgyz border guards seized the Tajik outpost Khoja Allo. The two sides are building up their military forces along the entire length of the border on both sides.

• The armed conflict on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan sparked the day before over a water distribution point.
• Law enforcement bodies of the two countries accused each other of starting the shooting.
• One resident of Kyrgyzstan was killed, another 16 were injured.
• The authorities of Tajikistan said that nine their citizens were injured and two other suffered gunshot wounds.

The sides started moving tanks and infantry fighting vehicles to the borders of the republics.

On Thursday, April 29, Tajikistan said that the Kyrgyz military opened fire on its border guards in an attempt to illegally seize the Golovnoy water distribution point. Kyrgyzstan, in turn, claimed that Tajik security forces opened fire at the vehicles of Kyrgyz citizens in the morning, and then opened mortar and machine gun fire at the water intake facility. Residents of the settlement of Kok-Tash also said that Tajiks set fire to their houses.