Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan agree to withdraw forces from border area

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Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have agreed to withdraw additional forces from the border area where fighting between soldiers of the two Central Asian countries erupted earlier on Tuesday, the Kyrgyz Border Service told Sputnik.

"During the negotiations, one of the first decisions was made to withdraw additional forces and equipment back to permanent deployment bases. Almost immediately, the sides began to withdraw their forces and equipment from the scene of the incident," the Spokesperson of the border service said.

Tajik forces started mortar shelling of Kyrgyz settlement

 Earlier, the Tajik military started mortar shelling of a Kyrgyz settlement on Tuesday, the Kyrgyz border service told Sputnik.

Earlier in the day, the Kyrgyz side said that fighting erupted after the Tajik military crossed the state border, adding that one Tajik soldier got injured during the incident. Bishkek and Dushanbe then engaged in negotiations.

"During the negotiations between the border representatives of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, the border guards of Tajikistan who arrived at the scene of the incident as a reinforcement opened fire at the servicemen of the Border Guard Service of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan. Another firefight erupted, which lasted for about 30 minutes," the border service said, adding that one Kyrgyz soldier was injured during the shootout.

The service added that "the Tajik side then started mortar shelling of the Dostuk settlement."