The President of Kyrgyzstan on Monday September 19 called on his population to unite and affirmed that his army was capable of repelling any invasion, after clashes with neighboring Tajikistan which left nearly 100 dead.
In an address to the nation that comes on a day of national mourning, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov also urged his people to ignore "
provocations
" on social media linked to the conflict.
This appeal illustrates the fear of internal unrest in this unstable Central Asian country which has experienced three revolutions since 2005, the last of which, in 2020, brought Sadyr Japarov to power the following year.
The shootings have 'stopped'
Clashes with heavy weapons erupted last week on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, two countries with relations undermined by territorial disputes linked in particular to access to water resources.
Fighting regularly takes place along the 970 kilometers of common border.
Authorities in both countries said on Sunday that at least 94 people had been killed in the latest escalation.
Kyrgyzstan declared a national day of mourning on Monday.
“
We continue to make efforts to settle disputes on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan with only peaceful means
,” Sadyr Japarov said in his address to the nation on Monday.
"
For the moment, the deadly shootings at the border have stopped
", he continued, denouncing however the "
provocations on social networks
" aimed at "
creating division between us and neighboring countries
".
"
We ask our people to keep calm and support the initiatives of the authorities and the armed forces through their unity
," said the Kyrgyz president.
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He also assured that the State had enough funds to pay the salaries of the soldiers and provide them with the necessary equipment, as well as to finance the reconstruction of the houses destroyed in the clashes.
"
Our military potential is at a whole new level today (...) The proof: those who invaded our lands have received their punishment
", he assured.
