Kyrgyzstan reports deaths after Uzbek border troops open fire | News

It is not clear whether the three dead were civilians or border troops at the disputed frontier of the two countries.

Kyrgyzstan has reported the killing of three citizens after Uzbekistan’s troops opened fire at the disputed frontier of the two Central Asian countries.

The Kyrgyz National Security Committee did not say in Friday’s announcement whether the dead were civilians or border troops.

“Without regaining consciousness, they died from their gunshot wounds,” the statement said, adding that it had taken place on Thursday.

Border disagreements have dogged the republics throughout their 30-year independence, with decision-makers referring to different Soviet-era maps to back up their territorial claims.

Smuggling is a common problem in the region, while border communities also clash regularly over land for grazing animals and water resources.

It was the most serious incident to occur at Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan’s frontier in recent years.

The statement said representatives of both border services had made contact immediately and agreed to conduct an investigation.

They were due to meet on Friday, it added.

Improved ties

Bilateral relations between the neighbours had been poor but improved markedly after the death of the long-ruling hardliner Uzbek President Islam Karimov in 2016.

Karimov’s successor, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, went about mending Tashkent’s frayed ties with neighbours.

Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan last year signed an agreement to resolve the border dispute, but the deal was not ratified after Kyrgyz citizens voiced dissatisfaction over terms that guaranteed the Uzbek side use of a reservoir located in Kyrgyzstan.

The most explosive conflict in Central Asia at present is at Kyrgyzstan’s border with Tajikistan, where several dozen people were killed following unprecedented clashes involving military units last year.