BISHKEK, 27 March: Kyrgyzstan‘s foreign ministry has issued instructions to its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Russia following an attack on a concert in Moscow that was blamed on migrants from Central Asia.
A bloody attack on a concert in Moscow last Friday in which 137 people were killed has sparked anti-immigrant sentiment in Russia, particularly against immigrants from Muslim-majority countries in Central Asia.
Russian authorities have arrested 7 Tajiks and one Kyrgyz for the attack. ISIS accepted the responsibility for this attack, while on the other hand, Russia blamed it on Ukraine without any evidence, which Ukraine strongly rejected.
Considering the same reasons, the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry warned the citizens not to travel to Russia first, and if necessary, travel with all necessary documents and with caution.
On the other hand, Kyrgyzstan’s neighboring countries have also issued similar notices to their citizens, including Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, according to local media reports.
According to Radio Free Europe, Russia banned passengers traveling from Tajikistan to Russia on Monday, citing the attack as the reason.
