Troops withdraw agreement: Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan agree on border pullback

Neighboring Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have agreed to withdraw troops from their borders after an outbreak of intense fighting that killed about 40 people and wounded 175.

The heads of national security for the two former Soviet republics in Central Asia agreed to the pullback during a meeting on Saturday.

The fighting broke out on Wednesday when Tajik officials attempted to mount surveillance cameras to monitor a water supply facility near the village of Kok-Tash in Kyrgyzstan.

Residents of Kyrgyzstan opposed the surveillance attempt; Kyrgyz and Tajiks began throwing stones at each other, and troops quickly entered the fray.

Kyrgyz officials say 33 people were killed on their side and about 7,000 area residents were evacuated.