By Nazir Aliyev Tayfur
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (AA) – Anadolu Agency captured footage on Wednesday of homes and businesses that were destroyed, along with casualties, after two days of clashes at the border between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
The footage revealed the destruction caused on the Kyrgyz side after violence began last week for control of the local water distribution network.
The Turkish news agency’s crews revealed the extent of the destruction in the villages of Kok-Tash, Arka, and Maksat in Leilek raion — the farthest point in the south of Kyrgyzstan.
More than 100 buildings, including homes, schools, shops, gas stations, police stations, and border checkpoints, were damaged.
Gas stations on the Kyrgyz side of the highway at the border region, used by the two countries, were also destroyed.
Houses and schools, established near the Tajikistan border, are now unusable.
Many of those who had to leave their homes sought refuge at the homes of relatives. But those who did not have family nearby took refuge in gymnasiums at school buildings, which the state turned into refuge centers.
Fayzullah Nazarov had to leave and flee to the city center with his family.
Having spent all of his life in Kok-Tash in Kyrgyzstan's Batken region, Nazarov and his family sought refuge at a school five hours from his home.
"Not once, not twice, six times, I've had to leave my home because of conflicts," he said in tears to the Turkish news agency.
"We cannot leave this land and go elsewhere. Our ancestors were born in this land," Nazarov said as he pleaded for tensions to be resolved immediately.
Violence erupted last Wednesday between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan centered on control of the local water distribution network, Kyrgyz media reported.
Surveillance equipment was installed by Tajik officials at the Golovnoi water distribution center, which Kyrgyzstan said is located in an area where sovereignty is yet to be defined, according to the Radio Free Europe news website.
Clashes erupted with the intervention of border troops from the two countries and soldiers were sent to the region with armored vehicles from both sides.
Tensions continued Thursday, however, with residents throwing stones at each other.
At least 55 people were killed — including a 13-year-old girl — and 183 wounded along the disputed segment of the border, according to the Kyrgyz Health Ministry.
