BISHKEK (Reuters) – Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov urged his country on Monday to have trust in its army and strategic partners, and said there was no need for volunteer forces at the border with Tajikistan after last week’s deadly clashes there.
At least 94 people were killed between Sept. 14 and 16 in fighting at a disputed section of the border in Kyrgyzstan’s Batken province which involved tanks, aviation and rocket artillery.
“We continue our efforts to resolve the Kyrgyz-Tajik border issues in a purely peaceful way,” Japarov said in a televised address on a national day of mourning.
“Another point I would like to mention: I urge calm among the men and youths who are willing to go to Batken … We have courageous warriors and enough forces to repel those who violate our borders.”
Japarov also asked Kyrgyz not to trust “provocateurs who slander our strategic partners, friendly nations and peoples who share our position”.
Central Asian border issues largely stem from the Soviet era, when Moscow tried to divide the region between groups whose settlements were often located amid those of other ethnicities.
Former Soviet republics Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are both allied to Moscow and host Russian military bases. Russia has avoided taking sides in the conflict and urged the sides to resolve it peacefully.
(Reporting by Olga Dzyubenko; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Catherine Evans)
