The number of Kyrgyz citizens killed in the Tajik attack has risen to 24. This was reported in the Ministry of Health of Kyrgyzstan.
“The bodies of 24 people were received at hospitals in Batken region. There are 12 dead in the Batken Regional United Hospital, 10 in Leilek General Medical Practice Centers, and 2 in Kulundu,” the ministry clarifies.
Also, the Ministry of Health reported that the number of affected Kyrgyzstanis increased to 103 people. Mostly they received shrapnel and gunshot wounds.
As of the evening of September 16, two people were reported dead. Tajikistan did not report its losses. However, according to media reports, two soldiers from the Tajik side were killed.
The clashes on the border between the two countries began on 16 September. Kyrgyzstan claims that Tajikistan began shelling at 6 am, "treacherously attacking civilian targets." Tajikistan also announced "mortar bombing and shelling" of residential buildings and civilian infrastructure from Kyrgyzstan.
The reason for the conflict between the two countries is an unlimited border with a length of 970 km, 519 of which have been clarified, and the rest remains undescribed. According to the International Red Cross, about 18 thousand citizens of Kyrgyzstan were evacuated from the conflict zone.