Uzbekistan reportedly demines its border with Tajikistan

AKIPRESS.COM - Uzbekistan announced about completion of de-mining of its border with Tajikistan. The demining was carried out by Uzbekistan, a source in Tajik law enforcement agencies told Asia-Plus. The source said the Uzbek side rejected the assistance of Tajik bomb disposal technicians, since demining was carried out only on the territory of Tajikistan.
During the fist state visit of President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Tajikistan in March 2018 the heads of state reached agreement the demining of the state border will be finished by the end of 2019.
Uzbekistan has mined mountainous parts of the border with Tajikistan in late 1990-s. The official Tashkent explained its actions then it wants to prevent intrusion of militants of Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.
According to the National Mine Center of Tajikistan, 374 citizens of Tajikistan died in mine explosion, 485 Tajik citizens received injuries.