U.S. Embassy Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic Defense Attaché Suzanne Henderson, First Deputy Chairman of the State Border Service Colonel Iskender Mambetaliyev and Taliberdi Aripov, Akim of Leilek District jointly opened two border posts with ribbon cutting ceremonies at Aikol and Kulundu in the southern region of Batken.
The two new border posts were funded by the USCENTCOM Counter Narcotics Program, enabling a greater presence of the State Border Service in the remote regions and improving their capacity to interdict illicit trafficking. The Aikol and Kulundu border posts are located in the Leylek Area of Batken Province.
During the winter months, the living conditions for the State Border Service troops are extremely difficult due to severe temperatures. Aikol is virtually cut off for most of the winter from local villages due to snow. Colonel Mambetaliyev noted that the Border Troops are now able to be more present and active throughout the region due to U.S. government assistance, which has increased their capacity and improved their conditions to better manage the borders.
