Kyrgyz president visits southern Batken region bordering Tajikistan

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov on Sunday ended a two-day visit to the southern Batken region, which saw clashes with neighboring Tajikistan in September due to a border dispute.

A statement from the Kyrgyz presidency outlined Japarov’s visit to the region and gave a list of actions he took during the visit.

“During the trip, the head of state got acquainted with the progress in the construction of residential buildings in the border villages of Ak-Sai, Kapchigai, Min-Oruk and Dostuk in the Batken region,” the statement said.

It further said that Japarov held meetings with local residents during his visit to the border villages, during which he spoke about infrastructure work and measures to resolve border issues.

He also visited border posts and met with military personnel.

Japarov also inspected infrastructure works in the region involving highways and an antimony plant in the city of Kadamjay.

Clashes between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan broke out at a disputed section of their border in the Batken region on Sept. 14, with both sides accusing each other of breaching the truce.

Tensions between the two countries primarily stem from a border dispute, including matters related to irrigation, smuggling and illegal border crossings.