The conflict, which began on April 28 in the border village of Kok-Tash, Batken region, continued on the evening of April 29 with an armed attack by the Tajik side on the Leilek district of Batken region. The main road connecting Leilek district with the capital is the 275-meter section of the Osh-Bishkek road passing through the territory of Batken district called Orto-Boz (Four Streets). The Tajik side has been trying to take over the road that belongs to Kyrgyzstan in the past causing multiple conflicts.
In yesterday’s incident, the previously mentioned road was blocked by the Tajik side, and communication with the Leilek district was cut off for several hours. At that time, Tajik citizens and soldiers attacked through the villages of Kulundu, Internatsional, Eski-Oochu, Maksat, Jashtyk, Borborduk, Dostuk, and Arka-2, located in the lower part of Leilek.
The road through the village of Internatsional to the villages of Maksat, Jashtyk, Borborduk, Dostuk, and Arka-2 was also blocked, forcing its residents to flee to the mountains. Residents of Kulundu, Razzakov, Internatsional and Ak-Aryk villages were relocated to Isfana and Sulukta.
The resident of the village has shared how Tajik soldiers and residents entered the village of Internatsional with tanks at around 5:00 pm on April 29, and how the villagers managed to escape.
«I was on my way to perform ablution at 4:00 pm when Tajiks were driving their cattle through in a hurry. There was an incident in Batken, and it looks like they are preparing for something. I called our troops and asked them to check up on it. They said, «Get ready to move quickly too.» It was already 5:00 pm by the time I prepared my three granddaughters and gathered our documents. They started shooting as soon as I got in the car. As we were settling in the village of Kulundu, there were explosions in our houses, and the houses of three neighbors exploded and burned. Yesterday, at about 9:00 pm, they entered the» Jiloy Dom» where we lived, fully occupied it and did not allow Kyrgyzs to enter.»
When the residents of the Internatsional Village fled to Isfana, four people returned to put out the burning houses in “Jiloy Dom”, which was part of the village. Two of them were shot dead by Tajik citizens who set the village on fire, and the other two managed to escape. They told the head of the village that the two victims should be buried. The head of the village, who went to talk, was captured by Tajiks and taken to their country, said Akjol, a resident of the village.
“The bodies of two boys are still there. We can’t bring them out. One of the survivors was shot in the head and another in the arm, both are now in intensive care. The head of the village that went in to bring them back now can’t return himself. Neither the authorities nor law enforcement agencies are taking any action to bring him back. “How do we get him out? I ask but nobody seems to know. At the same time, there are people who went missing with their phones off. Now there is a tank on one side and Tajiks on the other. We can’t get those two bodies out.”
This information was confirmed by the press service of the Batken Regional Department of Internal Affairs. The fact was registered in the Unified Register of Crimes and Violations of the Leilek District Department of Internal Affairs under Article 380 of the Criminal Code (Crimes against the Peace), and pre-trial proceedings were initiated.
Today, April 30, as of 11:00 am, it is said that Tajik military equipment was patrolling the streets of Borborduk village of Leilek district.
Residents of Arka and Maksat also note that it is impossible to enter the villages. All gas stations in the village of Arka on Kyrgyz side of the highway that divides Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan were set on fire.
Residents of Kulundu, Internatsional, Eski-Oochu, Maksat, Jashtyk, Borborduk, Dostuk and Arka-2 villages of Leilek district were evacuated by police and volunteers to safe places. At the same time, citizens fled in their cars to the mountains. A resident who fled Arka to Margun said:
«We are all good. The connection was not good and I only now am receiving the messages. In fact, they say, «You might have to move up to the mountain from where you are sitting.» However, no sign has come yet. Some people are going to their relatives in distant Darkhan. We have no acquaintances there, we stay calm. We just sit and watch. With so many kids, we need to need to think how to feed ourselves. Kanykei is cooking now. We are having oromo with onions. There were some who are fasting. I had 60-70 soms and I bought 3 diapers.”
According to Mederbek Baetov, head of the Margun aiyl okmotu, more than 10,000 people have sought refuge. He said they needed food and fuel at the moment, and that aid had only begun to arrive in the afternoon.
Residents of the village of Margun and the residents of the villages of Arka and Jashtyk, who fled there, also appealed to President Sadyr Japarov. They demanded that the president visit Batken, end the conflict with Tajikistan, and clear Kyrgyz villages of Tajik troops.
A member of Jakshtyk aiyl okmotu who fled to the village of Margun, said that the people had evacuated themselves, and so far, no one had heard from the authorities. He urged them to look into the reality of the situation in Leilek.
“All shops, restaurants and teahouses in the village of Jany-Jer were looted and set on fire. Now Tajik citizens are recklessly entering Kyrgyzstan’s territory and looting houses. Come and see us, get to know this situation. Ordinary people are waiting for you. Come and solve the border issue.”
Ergeshbay Mamurov, a resident of the village of Jashtyk in Jany-Jer aiyl okmotu, said that the current situation on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border did not develop overnight, and that Tajik security forces had been spying for five or six months.
«The current situation on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border did not develop overnight. Tajik law enforcement agencies have been spying for 5-6 months, calculating our capabilities, and even counting how many guns we have. Why did our authorities overlook their activities? What is a military unit without any additional weapons? We should not be indifferent in this case. They always say we are «heroic people.» Our government has put these heroic people through torment. How long will we be trampled? I told Abylgaziev that the government of Kyrgyzstan is «a weak government.» We are a nation that does not learn from its mistakes!”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Emergency Situations issued a statement on how many buildings were set on fire as a result of the conflict on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border in Batken province. In the village of Kulundu, Leilek district of Batken region — two houses, and in the village of Maksat — 10 houses, a total of 12 houses and one school.
It is reported that the head of the Internatsional village, who was taken hostage, has not yet been rescued and the villages cannot be entered either.
According to Cholpon Berdikulova, a spokeswoman for the government’s Batken office, tensions are high in the Leilek district but the shooting is temporarily suspended as of 5:30 pm.
