Kyrgyzstan evacuates villages on Tajikistan border

By Nazir Aliyev Tayfur

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (AA) - Kyrgyzstan began evacuating villages after accusing Tajikistan of violating a cease-fire agreement in the Chong-Alay region in southern Osh Oblast, the country’s Emergency Situations Ministry said Friday.

A statement by the ministry said residents in Zhekendi, Kara-Teyit, Kara-Myk, Chuluk and Shibe were evacuated to the Saiyt school in Daroot-Korgon and were placed in secondary and vocational school buildings and the central mosque.

Minister Boobek Azhikeyev personally supervises the evacuation of citizens and

the ministry has begun organizing humanitarian aid, it said.

A protest note was delivered to Tajik Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Nazirmad Alizoda in connection with the purposeful penetration of Tajik soldiers and paramilitary equipment into Kyrgyz territory in Unzhu-Bulak, Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry said in a related development.

-Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan border dispute

Violence erupted April 28 between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan centered on control of the local water distribution network, according to Kyrgyz media.

Surveillance equipment was installed by Tajik officials at the Golovnoi water distribution center, which Kyrgyzstan said is located in an area where sovereignty is yet to be defined, said the Radio Free Europe news website.

Clashes erupted with the intervention of border troops from the two countries and soldiers were sent to the region with armored vehicles from both sides.

Tensions continued, however, with residents throwing stones at each other.

At least 55 people were killed -- including a 13-year-old girl -- and 183 wounded along the disputed segment of the border, according to the Kyrgyz Health Ministry.