Paramedic and driver survive armed attack on Kyrgyz ambulance during border conflict

AKIPRESS.COM - "One ambulance was attacked during Kyrgyz-Tajik border conflict. Such thing has not happened even during war," Deputy Minister of Health and Social Development Jalalidin Rahmatullaev told reporters in Batken on May 3.
13 injured as a result of the Kyrgyz-Tajik border conflict stay in Batken hospital now, he said.
"189 were wounded in the conflict, 36 of them died, 2 of them died in hospital. Doctors did all they could. 53 people were discharged from hospital. Medical workers also provide outpatient assistance. Those who stay in the local hospital are in satisfactory condition now," he said.
The ambulance heading to Ak-Sai village came under gunfire during the armed conflict on the border on April 29.
Paramedic Burkanali uulu Ashirali and driver Mamatisak Ergeshov were in the ambulance.
When fire was opened, both managed to leave the ambulance and hide. The ambulance was heading to Golovnoi water distributor facility where numerous were injured after mortar shelling by the Tajik side.
"We were sent that night to Kok-Tash village. After we transported the first injured, we received another call. Servicemen of Tajikistan were standing along the road, who demanded us to stop. When we started to drive back, they opened fire. The ambulance turned off the road and turned over. We opened the doors with feet and left it. The armored vehicle with our servicemen picked up us and we went to Kok-Tash village. At Golovnoi water distributor we took 7-8 severely wounded and transported them to the hospital," the paramedic told Turmush.
Driver Mamatisak Ergeshov said they arrived in Kok-Tash village on April 28. "Shooting started there on April 29. The injured citizens were brought. They were transported in the second mobile intensive care unit to Batken. We were sent there as doctors were not available. The shooting started on our way to the hospital. I began to ride back and lost control of the vehicle and it turned turtle. The servicemen on armored vehicle arrived soon and took us away," the driver said.