Kyrgyzstan has said it agreed to a ceasefire with Tajikistan after the heaviest clashes in years erupted along the neighbouring countries’ disputed frontier.
In a statement on Thursday, Kyrgyzstan’s foreign ministry said a “complete ceasefire” had been agreed from 8pm local time (14:00 GMT), with military forces returning to bases. Tajikistan did not immediately release an official statement on the agreement.
The two countries have long been locked in border disputes, including sporadic clashes along the frontier. More than a third of the border is disputed, with the area surrounding the de facto Tajik enclave of Vorukh, where Thursday’s conflict erupted, a regular flashpoint over territorial claims and access to water.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for the “worrying” developments in eastern Ukraine’s Donbass region to come to an end after meeting his Ukrainian counterpart in Istanbul, adding Turkey was ready to provide any necessary support.
Erdogan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held talks in Istanbul on Saturday amid tensions between Kyiv and Moscow over the long-running conflict in Donbass.
Speaking at a news conference alongside Zelenskyy, Erdogan said he hoped the conflict would be resolved peacefully, through dialogue based on diplomatic customs, in line with international laws and Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
“Our main goal is that the Black Sea continues to be a sea of peace, tranquility and cooperation,” Erdogan said.
Erdogan urges end to Ukraine tension, offers Turkey s support msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.