BISHKEK. Sept 16 (Interfax) - The majority of Kyrgyz villagers have been evacuated from the border with Tajikistan, Kyrgyz Emergency Situations Ministry spokesman Alim Toktorov told Interfax on Friday.
"People in such villages as Maksat, Arka, Dostuk and Zhantyk in the Leylek district of the Batken region started leaving their homes back on September 14, as a shootout between Kyrgyz and Tajik servicemen began," Toktorov said.
The evacuees are staying in shelters, far from the hostilities, including in the city of Batken, and are being provided with everything necessary, as well as psychological and medical aid, he said.
The ministry does not know the exact number of evacuees, he added.
Bakytbek Turduyev, administration head of the Ravat village in the Leylek district of the Batken region told Kyrgyz media outlets on Thursday that over 10,000 people had been evacuated to the village.
The Kyrgyz Border Service said earlier that at 6:00 a.m. the Tajik side began firing small arms and crew-served weapons at Kyrgyz border outposts and positions in the Eki-Tash, Chyr-Dobo, Kum-Mazar, and Orto-Boz areas. The Kok-Tash outpost of the Batken border unit then came under mortar fire.
Later on, Tajikistan started shelling the areas of Kulundu, Maksat and Zhany-Zher in the Leylek district of the Batken region. Kyrgyz servicemen stationed there are returning fire.
According to the latest update, over 30 people have been hurt.
The Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry has sent a note of protest to Tajikistan over the border hostilities and has accused Tajikistan of attacking border and civilian infrastructure.