How did the media cover the 2021 conflict in the Vorukh exclave?

Abstract

Vorukh exclave is a small piece of land in Tajikistan, surrounded by the territory of Kyrgyzstan. Over the past 10 years only, there have been more than 150 conflicts with victims from both sides. This article describes how Kyrgyz and Tajik media covered the conflict, which occurred in the Vorukh exclave from April 28 to May 1, 2021. For this purpose, the researchers analyzed the media reports from April 28 to May 1 of three Kyrgyz media, which are “Kaktus.media”, “Turmush”, “24.kg”, and three Tajik media, which are Asia-Plus”, “Khovar”, and “Avesta”. The analysis of collected data demonstrated that the tendency for unilateral coverage of the conflict from both sides existed. Moreover, the Kyrgyz media agencies were more open and tried to cover the incident in detail, while some Tajik media agencies limited publications regarding the incidents. The results contribute to a better understanding of processes that needs to be considered to find solution for the annual conflicts on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border.