Two Kyrgyz young women have been detained on suspicion of making public call for getting rid of the citizens of Tajikistan.

Radio Liberty’ Kyrgyz Service, known locally as Radio Azatlyk, says two young women have been detained in Kyrgyzstan on suspicion of spreading through WhatsUpp messages calling on residents of Chaldovar village in Panfilov district of Chuy region to get rid of the citizens of Tajikistan. 

The women were reportedly detained by police on May 22.  

At first, this fact was registered as “petty hooliganism” under the provisions of Kyrgyzstan’s Misdemeanor Code, but later criminal proceedings were instituted against the women under the provisions of Article 313 of Kyrgyzstan’s Criminal Code – inciting racial, ethnic, religious or regional enmity; an investigation is under way.    

Recall, the clashes along the frontier between Tajikistan's Sughd province and Kyrgyzstan's southern Batken region broke out on April 28 because of a dispute over a water distribution facility, which both countries claim as their own.

Villagers from opposing sides hurled rocks at each other and border guards joined the fray with assault rifles, machine guns and mortars on April 29.

It was the worst violence in decades along the Tajik-Kyrgyz border that killed 55 people and wounded more than 270 people on both sides.