The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan has advised that Kyrgyz nationals temporarily refrain from travelling to Tajikistan as there are restrictive measures for citizens of Kyrgyzstan to enter Tajikistan. 

A statement released by Kyrgyzstan’s MFA on December 22, in particular, says that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises citizens of Kyrgyzstan “to temporarily refrain from traveling to Tajikistan or transit route to other countries via Tajikistan’s territory.”

The statement notes that recommendations have been published due to ongoing restrictions for citizens of Kyrgyzstan to enter Tajikistan.  

It is to be noted that Kyrgyzstan has unilaterally closed its common border with Tajikistan after further border clashes that occurred on September 14-17 this year.  Both sides reportedly lost over 100 people both military population and ordinary citizens in that incident.  During fierce armed confrontations, a lot of schools, mosques were destroyed in addition to the houses of civilians; administrative buildings were also attacked by fire.

The latest armed confrontation was the worst since April 2021, when over 50 citizens of both nations died during the armed hostilities.  

Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have not yet resolved the border delineation problem.  Many border areas in Central Asia have been disputed since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.  The situation is particularly complicated near the numerous exclaves in the Fergana Valley, where the borders of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan meet.

The border of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has been the scene of unrest repeatedly since the collapse of the former Soviet Union.