Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, border disputes between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have taken place at various intervals.
To this day, just over half of the approximately 1,000 kilometres of Kyrgyz-Tajik border territory has been demarcated – and this leads to frequent conflicts between the two countries’ armies. Unresolved issues related to the distribution of water and land, as well as illegal border crossings and confrontations over land access lead to fighting. In late spring 2021, more than 50 people died in a clash on the border.
Then, in late January and March this year, the conflict flared up again. Several civilians and military personnel were killed and wounded in the process. The lack of genuine dialogue between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan over demarcating the borders, unfortunately, means that this conflict could easily continue in the coming months.
