On September 1, a number of Kyrgyz online news publications reported, citing the country's border service, that Uzbek border guards had shot down two Kyrgyz citizens. A report of missing two residents of Aygyr-Zhal village in Chatkal district was received by law enforcement agencies in Kyrgyzstan on August 25.

The Border Troops of the State Security Service of Uzbekistan commented on the situation Thursday September 4.

According to them, on August 15, two unknown individuals were spotted in the border area near Ugam-Chatkal Nature Reserve in Bostanlyk district of Tashkent province.

"The border patrol, within the limits of its powers, demanded that they stop, but the violators tried to escape. Afterwards, in line with the Uzbek legislation, several warning shots were fired into the air," the Border Troops added.

However, reportedly, the unknown individuals did not obey the border guards' demands and continued moving towards the state border.

"After that, as a last resort, weapons were used against them. As a result, they were injured and, despite the first aid provided by the servicemen, died on the spot," the Border Troops reported.

The check of the territory revealed one tent, three horses, food, and traces of a third person who managed to escape.

On the same day, the border agencies of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan were notified of the situation (the Bostanlyk Mountains are where the borders of the three countries meet).

The check also found on August 31 that the deceased were citizens of Kyrgyzstan, and their bodies were handed over to their relatives.

Based on an agreement between the leadership of the border agencies of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, the scene of the incident was jointly examined on September 2-3.

"The investigation confirmed that the actions of the border patrol were in line with the legislation of Uzbekistan, that the citizens of Kyrgyzstan illegally crossed the state border, and the third person managed to escape, returning to the territory of Kyrgyzstan. An agreement was reached to find the man and take the legal actions against him,” the Border Troops concluded.