DUSHANBE, September 14, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- The Main Department of Border Guards under the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) of Tajikistan has released a statement regarding an online article entitled “Skirmish Occurs on the Uzbek-Tajik Border,” which claims that Tajik border guard allegedly wounded his Uzbek counterpart.

The statement published by the state-run news agency Khovar, in particular, notes that the Uzbek border guard on horseback illegally crossed the border into the Chapan area in Tajik Shahriston district (Sughd province) on September 11 at 12:00 and started filiming the Tajik side of the border and people working in the agricultural fields.

When Tajik border guards tried to detain the Uzbek border guard after he ignored acommand to leave, Uzbek border guards reportedly opened fire at them from the contiguous territory.  Tajik border guards replied to their fire; the trespasser, however, managed to return to the Uzbek territory.

Uzbek border service’s representative came to the scene of an incident and evidence of illegal border crossing was provided to him, the statement said, noting that a joint investigation has been launched into the incident.

Tajik Main Department of Border Guards notes that it is not the single instance of illegal border crossing.  According to the statement, three Uzbek border guards on horseback illegally crossed the border into the Chapan area on September 1 at 12:00 and threatening Tajik national D.U. with weapons took him to Uzbekistan.

Uzbek border guards have not yet provided information about whereabouts of D.U.  Moreover, Uzbek border guards did not come to the meeting of border representatives that was organized on that incident, the statement said.