A citizen of Tajikistan was injured at the Tajik-Kyrgyz border

On May 7, 2024, a border incident occurred at the border between Tajikistan (Jabbor Rasulov District) and Kyrgyzstan (Leilek District), resulting in an injury to a citizen of Tajikistan. The Border Service of the State National Security Committee of Kyrgyzstan stated that the incident happened after shepherds from the Tajik territory crossed into Kyrgyz territory and did not respond to the demands of Kyrgyz border guards.

The head of the village council in Jabbor Rasulov District has a different version of events.

The Border Service of the State National Security Committee of Kyrgyzstan was the first to release a statement saying that “around 12:20 PM on May 7, near the settlement of Ak-Bosogo in the Leilek District of Batken Region, Kyrgyz border patrol noticed citizens of Tajikistan—shepherds grazing livestock on Kyrgyz territory, 250-300 meters from the state border line.” It was further reported that the demands of the border guards to leave Kyrgyz territory were ignored by the Tajik citizens, who even began throwing stones at the soldiers, and “one of the shepherds fired several shots in the direction of the Kyrgyz border patrol.”

The Kyrgyz side noted in the statement that in order to prevent escalation, Kyrgyz border guards fired warning shots into the air, after which the shepherds fled back to Tajikistan. “There were no injuries among Kyrgyz border guards. According to unconfirmed reports, one citizen of Tajikistan was injured in the leg,” the press release stated.

The head of the Kurgoncha village council in Jabbor Rasulov District, Nodir Usmonzoda, confirmed the fact of injury to a local resident by Kyrgyz border guards. In a conversation with Radio Ozodi on the evening of May 7, he reported that “a resident of the Kurgoncha village, Olimjon Abdullayev, was injured in the leg and hospitalized in the central district hospital.”

“The incident began when Olimjon’s son went out to graze the livestock, but unexpectedly Kyrgyz border guards appeared and started making claims against the young man. Olimjon learned about this and hurried to the scene, and during a verbal altercation, he was injured in the leg. The incident occurred on Tajik territory, not on Kyrgyz territory,” Usmonzoda said. According to him, Olimjon and his son are not shepherds. “They did not have any firearms with them and, therefore, did not shoot at anyone,” Radio Ozodi reported, citing the source. Currently, the condition of the injured person is assessed as stable.

Meanwhile, in a statement from the Border Troops of the State National Security Committee of Tajikistan, released on the evening of May 7, it was stated: “Olimjon Abdullayev did not exhibit any actions or behaviors contrary to the principles of good neighborliness due to his social status (history teacher). However, firearms were used against him, resulting in his injury.”

“Currently, the situation at the Kyrgyz-Tajik border is characterized as stable,” reports the border service of the neighboring country. The statement from the Tajik border guards mentions that “the relevant authorities of both countries are conducting an investigation into this incident, and the situation at the border is being monitored.”