BISHKEK. Sept 19 (Interfax) - A mixed investigative team in Kyrgyzstan has begun probing the incident which occurred on the border with Tajikistan on Monday in which one Kyrgyz border guard and three Tajik servicemen were killed.
"A pre-trail probe has been launched into the killing of a serviceman of the State Border Service of Kyrgyzstan, the wounding of border guards and residents of the village of Maksat, and also shooting at residential buildings, a secondary school, and a border post. A mixed investigative team was set up comprising experienced investigators of the military prosecutor's office of Batken garrison and the Batken region interior department," the press service of the Kyrgyz Prosecutor General's Office told Interfax in a statement on Wednesday.
According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the border incident started with construction by the Tajik side on a non-demarcated section. A verbal exchange between Kyrgyz and Tajik servicemen later took place, after which Tajik border guards were the first to use firearms against Kyrgyz citizens.
"Several mortar and other shots were fired in the direction of the village of Maksat, where civilians live. Shots were fired in the direction of the Murom tower of the Maksat border post, which caused its destruction. Moreover, Tajik servicemen opened fire at the secondary school in Maksat and a house of local residents," the statement said.
The investigative team examined the border post and the school and houses under fire and seized material evidence - bullets and mortar fragments. Ballistic and trace examinations were appointed with regard to the bullets and damaging agents. Forensic studies are being conducted regarding persons with shot wounds and injured with fragments.
One Kyrgyz border guard was killed in the incident. According to Dushanbe, three Tajik servicemen also died. On the Kyrgyz side 13 persons were wounded. Several more were wounded on the Tajik side.
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan exchanged protest notes, each placing the responsibility for the incident on the other party.