DUSHANBE (Reuters) – Tajikistan accused Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday of failing to withdraw military hardware from their mutual border after last week’s deadly conflict and hiding it instead, a charge Bishkek denies.
At least 100 people died and about 140,000 were evacuated when the two Central Asian nations, both of which are allied with Russia, clashed in a border dispute on Sept.14-16, using tanks, aviation and rocket artillery.
They have since agreed to cease hostilities and pull back troops, but, indicating tensions remain high, Tajikistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday Kyrgyzstan was not honouring its part of the deal.
It said it has spotted camouflaged Kyrgyz armed personnel carriers and other military equipment and a group of special forces servicemen near the border, as well as Kyrgyz drones crossing into Tajik territory.
Kyrgyzstan’s foreign ministry said the allegations were untrue.
Both countries host Russian military bases and are members of a Russia-led security bloc.
(Reporting by Nazarali Pirnazarov; Additional reporting by Olga Dzyubenko in Bishkek; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Kim Coghill)
