BISHKEK (Reuters) – Thirteen people were wounded when Kyrgyz and Tajik security forces exchanged fire across the border and residents hurled rocks at each other in a dispute over a water reservoir on Thursday, the authorities on both sides said.
Fighting broke out late on Wednesday on the border between Tajikistan’s northern Sughd province and Kyrgyzstan’s southern Batken province because of a row over a water reservoir and pumping station located on the Isfara river, which both countries claim as their own.
Locals on both sides hurled rocks at each other before fighting escalated and the sides started exchanging gunfire on Thursday, according to both countries’ security agencies.
Videos shared on social media showed people on the Kyrgyz side sitting in a trench to the sound of gun fire in the background. Reuters could not independently verify the footage.
Kyrgyzstan’s State National Security Committee accused the Tajik side of using mortars to shell the disputed water facility, while the Tajik authorities said the facility belonged to them and accused the Kyrgyz servicemen of shooting at Tajik border guards.
Tajikistan said that nine people on their side have been wounded, while Kyrgyzstan reported four wounded.
(Reporting by Olga Dzyubenko in Bishkek and Nazarali Pirnazarov in Dushanbe; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
