Conflict in Masanchi: Refugees fear looting and return home

Refugees from the Kazakh village Masanchi return home. Deputy of Ken-Bulun Rural Council Ramazan Babazov told 24.kg news agency.

According to him, about 700 people, who had previously arrived in Kyrgyzstan, left for Kazakhstan through Ken-Bulun-Avtodorozhny checkpoint this morning.

«People came on February 7; they were accommodated in families. Refugees left yesterday morning, but returned in the afternoon. People return to their houses because they are afraid of looting. Mostly women and children came here. There are few men,» Ramazan Babazov told.

Meanwhile, the press service of the State Border Service of the Kyrgyz Republic noted that the situation on the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border was stable. According to the state service, about 4,000 citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan have entered Kyrgyzstan for 3 days, about 1,000 people left the republic.

Refugees receive humanitarian assistance. About 400 people have received food products today in Tokmak city alone.

On February 7, users of social media sent out videos of pogroms and shooting in Masanchi village, Kordai district of Kazakhstan. According to the official version of the authorities of Kazakhstan, a mass brawl took place in Masanchi village. The Investigation Department of the Police Department of Zhambyl region launched a pre-trial investigation under the articles «Organization and participation in mass riots» and «Murder.»

According to the latest data, 11 people were killed in the conflict.

Work of schools and kindergartens has been resumed in Kordai region of Kazakhstan today. There are 9 schools in three villages affected by the mass riots — Masanchi, Auhatty and Sortobe. Eight of them resumed work. An emergency response center is located at one of them. Its students were temporarily transferred to other schools.