2012 incident at Echilitash border post

On 20 August 2012, at the Echilitash frontier outpost that served as the Issyk-Kul border units command headquarters, 19 year-old Kyrgyz border guard Balbai Kulbarak uulu in a state of desertion fired at his fellow servicemen with a rifle instantly killing four; the outpost commander, senior soldier, warrant officer, junior soldier. A fifth visiting civilian wife of one of the guards was also killed as a result of the gunshot fire. The three other Kyrgyz guards who occupied the border crossing fled in a car upon hearing the shooting take place in the main building.

Kulbarak fled the scene in a stolen car. He was confronted in a nearby gorge the next day while attempting to detect to the Uzbek border. A firefight ensued between police officials and the gunman evidentially leading to his death.

The motive although unknown has been stated to involve "hazing" the bullying of younger servicemen.