evidence: In the volatile region of the Ferghana valley, where the borders of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan converge (see map below), violent confrontations between locals and state forces have been a longstanding concern. Disputes between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are particularly frequent as almost half of the 971-kilometer-long border territory remains contested, creating challenges for local populations hoping to address infrastructural and economic issues in the region. Disagreements over the connection of Tajikistan’s fertile Vorukh exclave to the mainland only adds to the disorder. [...] Violence has also broken out over access from the Vorukh exclave to the Isfara region in Tajikistan, and the connection of Kyrgyz villages around the Vorukh exclave to the Kyrgyz district of Batken (labeled on map above). Currently, Kyrgyz residents must pass through Tajikistan’s Isfara region to connect to Batken, while Vorukh residents use the only road to Isfara passing through Kyrgyz territory.