Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan Set to Reopen Border After 4-Year Closure

The border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan will officially reopen on March 13, as announced by the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President in the Batken region.

The Presidents of the two countries will participate in the opening ceremony of Kairagach and Kyzyl-Bel checkpoints online, The Caspian Post reports, citing Kyrgyz media.

Recall, Kyrgyzstan closed the border with neighboring Tajikistan four years ago, in May 2021. The decision was made after an armed conflict that occurred on April 28 near Golovnoy water distribution point in Batken region. It then escalated into the use of army units and heavy equipment. 189 Kyrgyzstanis were injured in the conflict, 36 people died, including children. The Prosecutor General’s Office conducted pre-trial proceedings under the article «Crime against peace» of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic and assessed Tajikistan’s actions as a military invasion.

The then Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Ulukbek Maripov stated that all movements across the border were suspended until all problems on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border were resolved.

The head of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon arrived for a state visit to the Kyrgyz Republic today, March 12. It is planned to sign bilateral documents. According to some reports, an agreement on the Kyrgyz-Tajik state border is among them.