Almost 30 people have been killed and dozens injured in clashes on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Fighting periodically breaks out between the two former Soviet states, whose border has been disputed since the collapse of the USSR.
A new skirmish that began earlier in the week continued on Friday, despite the two countries agreeing to a ceasefire. Both sides blame the other for starting the violence and violating the truce.
Some 24 people in Kyrgyzstan have died so far, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Health said on Friday.
Earlier reports from Tajikistan said at least three people had been killed there. A regional branch of the Red Cross reported that nearly 20,000 people had fled their homes to avoid violence.
The conflict has renewed fears of an all-out war between the two countries.
In 2021, unprecedented fighting killed nearly 50 people. The dispute erupted on Wednesday, with at least two people died in three separate incidents.
Kyrgyz border guards accused Tajikistan of taking up positions on the part of the border that has not been demarcated, while Tajikistan said Kyrgyz guards opened fire without provocation.
The countries share a 1,000-km (600-mile) border, more than a third of which is disputed.
Russia has close ties with both countries and has offered to mediate, calling for “urgent” measures to stop the violence on Friday.
A ceasefire took effect from 16:00 local time (10:00 GMT), but Kyrgyzstan said two of its villages were later shelled. It accused its neighbour of using tanks and armoured personnel carriers.
In turn, Tajikistan accused Kyrgyz forces of shelling an outpost and seven villages with “heavy weaponry”.