At least 24 killed in clashes on Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan border

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have traded blame for fighting on their border that has killed at least 24 people, wounded dozens, and prompted a mass evacuation.
According to international media, Kyrgyzstan’s health ministry said early on Saturday that 24 bodies had been delivered to hospitals in the Batken region that borders Tajikistan.
An additional 87 people were wounded, the ministry said.
Clashes on the border that began earlier this week grew into large-scale fighting on Friday involving tanks, artillery and rocket launchers.
As part of the shelling, Tajik forces struck the regional capital, Batken, with rockets.
Kyrgyzstan’s emergencies ministry said 136,000 people were evacuated from the area engulfed by the fighting.
It was not immediately clear what prompted the fighting on the tense border between the two former Soviet Central Asian neighbours.
An attempt to establish a ceasefire quickly failed on Friday and artillery shelling resumed later in the day.
Border guard chiefs of the two countries met at about midnight and agreed to create a joint monitoring group work to help end hostilities. It was not immediately clear whether the meeting had any effect on the fighting.