Putin calls for de-escalation as Kyrgyz-Tajik border clashes death toll reaches 94

Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan counterparts Sadyr Japarov and Emomali Rahmon respectively. During the telephonic conversation, Putin urged Japarov and Rahmon to prevent further escalation and take measures to resolve the issue through "peaceful and diplomatic means." The call between the three leaders comes as at least 94 people have been killed in clashes on the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border, as per BBC.

During the telephonic conversation, Putin discussed the situation on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border with Sadyr Japarov and Emomali Rahmon. Putin said that Russia is willing to provide assistance to both nations to ensure stability in the Kyrgyz-Tajik border regions. It is to mention here that the clashes between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan erupted on Wednesday. The two nations agreed for a ceasefire on Friday which has been largely upheld despite claims of some shelling by both sides, BBC News reported.

On Sunday, Kyrgyzstan said that an additional 13 people have died due to the fighting, taking the total death toll to 59. Furthermore, Kyrgyzstan reported that more than 100 people have been injured due to fighting between the two nations, as per the news report. Meanwhile, Tajikistan reported that 35 of its citizens have been killed and at least 20 people have been injured in the clashes. Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan share a 1,000-km border and there is a dispute between the two Central Asian nations about a third of the border. 

The statement released by Kremlin reads, "Vladimir Putin called on his counterparts to prevent further escalation and to take steps for a quick settlement of the situation through exclusively peaceful political and diplomatic means, and confirmed Russia’s readiness to provide the necessary assistance to ensure stability in the Kyrgyz-Tajik border areas."

Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan border conflict 

The fighting erupted between the two nations on Wednesday as Tajikistan authorities have accused Kyrgyzstan forces of destroying a mosque and targeting civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings, according to AP. Tajikistan’s security officials claimed that Kyrgyzstan was deploying troops and military equipment near the border in preparation for “provocations.” According to Kyrgyzstan’s Emergencies Ministry, 136,000 people have been evacuated from the region which was engulfed by the clashes. The border guard chiefs of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan held a meeting around midnight and agreed to establish a joint monitoring group to help end the hostilities between the two nations. In 2021, a dispute erupted between two nations over water rights and the installation of surveillance cameras by Tajikistan which erupted in clashes near the border claiming the lives of at least 55 people.  

Inputs from AP

Image: AP/Shutterstock