Uzbek law enforcement authorities from Namangan Oblast apologized to their Kyrgyz colleagues in neighboring Djalal-Abad Oblast, thereby defusing a potentially unpleasant border incident that began when five Uzbek police officers and a prosecutor illegally crossed the Kyrgyz border to arrest a Kyrgyz citizen on 10 December. The Uzbek officers forced the Kyrgyz into their car, but were chased to the border by the detainee\'s fellow villagers, who freed him and handed the Uzbeks over to the Kyrgyz police. Kyrgyz law enforcement officials said the man who had been seized by the Uzbeks was not involved in any criminal activity. The Djalal-Abad Oblast administration reported that the Uzbek side apologized for the incident and took the six captured officers away. (akipress.org)