Russia, Uzbekistan Ready To Facilitate Stabilization On Tajik-Kyrgyz Border - Kremlin

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th May, 2021) Russian President Vladimir Putin and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed their readiness to provide all necessary support to stabilize the situation on the border of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, the Kremlin said on Friday.

"While discussing the situation in the Central Asian region, including in the light of recent events on the Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan border, the presidents welcomed the agreements between Dushanbe and Bishkek on the political and diplomatic settlement of the conflict, and reaffirmed their readiness to contribute in every way to stabilization of the situation," the official statement reads.

According to the statement, the two leaders also agreed to continue contacts at various levels.

A local conflict between residents of the border regions of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan on April 29 escalated into an armed confrontation between the military of the two countries. Clashes between Kyrgyz and Tajik border guards lasted more than six hours. As a result, 36 Kyrgyz citizens were killed, about 200 were injured. Tajikistan reported 19 dead and 87 injured. More than 300 buildings were destroyed.

On the same day, the sides agreed to cease fire and withdraw forces from the border, but the next day the shots were fired again. The countries reached another truce in the late afternoon of April 30. All the military was pulled back from the conflict zone.