List of wars involving Kyrgyzstan

This is a list of wars involving Kyrgyz Republic, Kyrgyz and the predecessor states of Kyrgyzstan to the present day. It also includes wars fought outside Kyrgyzstan by the Kyrgyz military.

List of wars[]

Most of the wars in the nomadic history of the Kyrgyz are related to the states' desire to dominate the Great Steppe. The Great Steppe is a region stretching from the Black Sea to Siberia, inhabited predominantly by nomadic peoples. For this reason, the wars in which the Kyrgyz participated are divided into periods in which certain peoples dominated the Great Steppe.

Xiongnu Age (201 BC - 89 AD)[]

In 209 BC, three years before the founding of Han China, the Xiongnu were brought together in a powerful confederation under a new chanyu, Modu Chanyu. After that, a new age of Xiongnu power began in the Great Steppe.

In 201 BC, the Xiongnu Empire took over the Kyrgyz tribes. From then until its weakening, the Kyrgyz fought side by side with the Xiongnu in wars against the Han Empire. Then, during the Xiongnu Civil War, the Kyrgyz briefly regained their independence. The Xiongnu's power over the Kyrgyz finally ended after the destruction of the nomadic empire by the Chinese.

Xiongnu Age
Conflict			Combatant I	Combatant II	Result
First Kyrgyz-Xiongnu War (201 BC)			Kyrgyz tribes	Xiongnu	Defeat Xiongnu conquers Kyrgyz lands.
Han-Xiongnu Wars (133 BC - 89 AD)	Campaign of emperor Gaozu (200 BC)		Xiongnu Empire Kyrgyz tribes (as part of Xiongnu)	Han Empire	Xiongnu Victory Xiongnu take over the Chinese army.
	Battle of Mayi (133 BC)				Xiongnu Victory Chinese ambush against Xiongnu failed.
	Skirmishes at the northern frontier (129-127 BC)				Inconclusive
	Ordos campaign (127 BC)				Han Victory Han Empire retook full control of the Ordos region.
	Gobi campaign (123 DC)				Han Victory Han Empire took control of the south of Gobi Desert. Xiongnu moved their capital and retreated to the far northern regions of the Gobi Desert.
	Battle of Hexi (121 BC)				Han Victory Han Empire destroyed the Xiongnu army. Large part of Xiongnu tribes submitted to the Han Empire.
	Battle of Mobei (119 BC)				Han Victory Xiongnu were driven from the Gobi Desert.
	Battle of Tian Shan (99 BC)				Xiongnu Victory Xiongnu destroyed the Han army.
	Battle of Jushi (67 BC)				Han Victory Han Empire gained control of the people of the Jushi culture in the Turpan Basin.
	Revolt against the Xiongnu (71 BC)		Xiongnu Empire Kyrgyz tribes	Rebels: Wusun Dinling Wuhuan	Xiongnu Victory Revolt is crushed.
	Second Kyrgyz-Xiongnu War (57 BC) (part of the Xiongnu Civil War)		Kyrgyz tribes	Xiongnu Empire	Victory Kyrgyz tribes gained independence.
	Third Kyrgyz-Xiongnu War (49 BC) (part of the Xiongnu Civil War)		Kyrgyz tribes	Northern Xiongnu	Defeat Kyrgyz tribes were recaptured by Zhizhi.
	Battle of Zhizhi (36 BC)		Northern Xiongnu Kyrgyz tribes (as part of the Northern Xiongnu) Kangju	Han Empire Wusun Tarim Basin city-states	Han Victory Death of Zhizhi.
	Battle of Altai Mountains (89 AD)		Northern Xiongnu Kyrgyz tribes (as part of the Northern Xiongnu)	Han Empire Southern Xiongnu	Han Victory Collapse of the Xiongnu Empire. Kyrgyz tribes gained independence.

Turkic Age (89 AD - 744 AD)[]

On the ruins of the first nomadic empire emerged the powerful First Turkic Khaganate, marking the beginning of a new era in the Great Steppe.

After gaining independence from the Xiongnu, the Kyrgyz had been developing their statehood, but were overrun by the Rouran Kaganate. The Rourans were then wiped out and the Kyrgyz integrated into the ascendant First Turkic Kaganate. After its fall in 603, the Kyrgyz gained independence and, under the wise leadership of Barsbek Kagan, avoided conquest by the second Turkic Kaganate and proclaimed the establishment of the Kyrgyz Kaganate. The title Kagan meant a claim to the entire Great Steppe and openly challenged the mighty First Turkic Kaganate. in the end, the Turkic Kaganate still captured the Kyrgyz Kaganate and declared themselves the only Great Kaganate in the Steppe.

Turkic Age
Conflict	Combatant I	Combatant II	Result
War against Rouran Khaganate (5th century)	Kyrgyz tribes Tiele	Rouran Khaganate	Defeat Rouran Khaganate conquers Kyrgyz and Tiele lands.
War against the First Turkic Khaganate (6th century)	Kyrgyz tribes	First Turkic Khaganate	Defeat Kyrgyz tribes are under control of the First Turkic Khaganate.
Coalition War against the Second Turkic Khaganate (688)	Coalition: Toquz Oghuz Kurykans Kyrgyz tribes	Second Turkic Khaganate	Defeat Coalition is defeated.
First War against the Second Turkic Khaganate (695)	Kyrgyz Khaganate	Second Turkic Khaganate	Victory Kyrgyz Khaganate is established.
Second War against the Second Turkic Khaganate (710-711)	Kyrgyz Khaganate	Second Turkic Khaganate	Defeat Kyrgyz Khaganate is under control of Second Turkic Khaganate until 744. Death of Barsbek Khagan.

Age of the Kyrgyz Greatness (744-1207)[]

In 744, on the ashes of the Second Turkic Kaganate two great empires emerged: the Kyrgyz and Uyghur Kaghanates. After almost a century of confrontation, the Kyrgyz defeated the Uyghur Kaganate and began rapid expansion across the Great Steppe. Later the Soviet historian Vasily Bartold called this period "The Kyrgyz Greatness".

Age of the Kyrgyz Greatness
Conflict	Combatant I	Combatant II	Result
First Kyrgyz-Uyghur War (751-758)	Kyrgyz Khaganate Karluks	Uyghur Khaganate	Defeat Kyrgyz tribes is under control of Uyghur Khaganate until 820.
Revolt against Uyghur Khaganate (795)	Kyrgyz tribes	Uyghur Khaganate	Defeat Revolt is crushed.
Second Kyrgyz-Uyghur War (820-840)	Kyrgyz Khaganate	Uyghur Khaganate	Victory Uyghur Khaganate is destroyed. Beginning of the Kyrgyz expansion.
Campaign against the remaining Uyghur forces (840-843)	Kyrgyz Khaganate	Uyghurs	Victory Successful campaigns against Uyghurs in Siberia, Central Asia and Manchuria. Remaining Uyghur forces are destroyed.
Expansion of the Kyrgyz Khaganate (843-924) Kyrgyz Khaganate	Kyrgyz Khaganate	Turkic and Mongol tribes	Victory Kyrgyz Khaganate is at the peak of its power.

Mongol Age (1207-1293)[]

In 1206, the powerful Mongol Empire appeared in the Great Steppe, which subsequently expanded far beyond the Steppe under the leadership of Genghis Khan.

In 1207, the Kyrgyz voluntarily submitted to the new empire. However, the pressure of the Mongols on them was too great. A series of revolts were staged which were brutally suppressed. Each revolt resulted in the mass extermination of the Kyrgyz by the Mongol army. After the fourth major uprising, Kublai Khan ordered his army to wipe out most of the Kyrgyz and relocate the rest to Mongolia and China. however, upon learning of this, the remaining Kyrgyz fled from Siberia to Central Asia. They had good relations with the Chagatai Khanate's Kaidu Khan, so he took them under his patronage.

Mongol Age
Conflict		Combatant I	Combatant II	Result
Series of revolts against the Mongol Empire	First revolt (1218)	Kyrgyz tribes	Mongol Empire	Defeat Revolt is crushed Thousands of Kyrgyz are massacred.
	Second revolt (1261)			Defeat Revolt is crushed.
	Third revolt (1273)			Defeat Revolt is crushed.
	Fourth revolt (1293)			Defeat Revolt is crushed Forced migration of Kyrgyz to Mongolia, Tien Shan and Manchuria.

Confrontation with the Mongols (1293-1760)[]

After the Chagatai Khanate split into Transoxiana and Moghulistan, the Kyrgyz were part of the latter. They had already recovered from their flight from Siberia and so began to fight for their statehood again against Moghulistan. Led by Tagai Biy, they secured their state with a victory in the mid-16th century.

After the fall of the Mongol Empire, numerous Mongol tribes tried to reunite again. However, this was only succeeded by the Dzungars, who in 1634 organised their Khanate and made new claims to dominate the Great Steppe. However, they were opposed by the combined forces of Central Asian states, including the Kyrgyz. After a century of confrontation, the combined forces were able to push the Dzungars back to the borders of China.

Confrontation with the Mongols
Conflict	Combatant I	Combatant II	Result
Revolt against Moghulistan (1504-1508)	Kyrgyz tribes	Moghulistan	Defeat Revolt is crushed.
Series of wars against Moghulistan (16th century)	Kyrgyz tribes	Moghulistan	Victory Large part of Moghulistan is under control of Kyrgyz tribes.
Series of wars against the Shaybanids (16th century)	Kyrgyz tribes supported by: Kazakh Khanate	Shaybanids	Victory Decline of the Shaybanids.
Kyrgyz-Oirat campaigns (16th century)	Northern Kyrgyz tribes	Four Oirat	Victory
War against the Khanate of Bukhara (1598)	Kazakh Khanate supported by: Kyrgyz tribes	Khanate of Bukhara	Victory Kyrgyz tribes strengthen their influence in Central Asia.
Campaign of the southern Kyrgyz tribes against Andijan (1642-1643)	Southern Kyrgyz tribes	Andijan	Inconclusive
Dzhungar invasion (1643-1644)	Kazakh Khanate Kyrgyz tribes	Dzhungar Khanate	Victory Invasion is stopped by Kyrgyz and Kazakh tribes.
First War against Dzhungar Khanate (1653)	Kazakh Khanate Kyrgyz tribes	Dzhungar Khanate	Inconclusive
Second War against Dzhungar Khanate (1658)	Khanate of Bukhara Kyrgyz tribes Kazakh Khanate	Dzhungar Khanate	Inconclusive
Third War against Dzhungar Khanate (1678-1684)	Khanate of Bukhara Kyrgyz tribes Kazakh Khanate (1683)	Dzhungar Khanate	Victory
Fourth War against Dzhungar Khanate (1727)	Kyrgyz tribes Kazakh Khanate	Dzhungar Khanate	Defeat Some Kyrgyz tribes move to Fergana Valley.
Kyrgyz campaign against Dzhungar Khanate (1747)	Kyrgyz tribes	Dzhungar Khanate	Victory
Fifth War against Dzhungar Khanate (1748-1749)	Kyrgyz tribes	Dzhungar Khanate	Victory Kubat Byi from Kushchu tribe destroyed last Dzhungar's army. Decisive victory of Kyrgyz. The end of Kyrgyz-Dzhungar wars.
Battle against the Qing dynasty (1759)	Kyrgyz tribes	Qing dynasty	Victory Chinese general Bayan-Batu commits suicide. Kyrgyz leader Azhy Byi, from Adygene tribe destroyed army of 9000 Chinese Qing army.

Age of the Kyrgyz Khanate (1760-1855)[]

The Kyrgyz and Kazakhs, who were bonded by a military alliance, began feuding after defeating the Dzungars. This led to a series of military campaigns between the Kyrgyz and Kazakh khanates, which were interrupted by the Kokands, who declared war on the Kyrgyz. After 70 years of war, the Khanate of Kokand finally established control over the Kyrgyz tribes, but this prolonged conflict had a negative impact on the internal political situation of the state. The Khanate of Kokand began to collapse, allowing the Kyrgyz to re-establish their khanate. Meanwhile, the Russian Empire was rapidly taking over the Kazakh tribes, so the Kazakh Khan Kenensary decided to demand support from the Kyrgyz. But, having been refused, he declared war on them, in which he was killed. This allowed the Russian Empire to establish full control over the Kazakh Khanate.

After the triumphant victory over the Kazakhs, the heads of the two largest Kyrgyz tribes began an internal political struggle for power. This escalated into the Civil War in which Ormon Khan, head of the Kyrgyz and head of the Sarybagysh tribe, was assassinated. The Kyrgyz Khanate fell, after which the invasion of the Russian Empire began.

Kyrgyz Khanate
Conflict	Combatant I	Combatant II	Result
Kyrgyz-Kazakh campaigns (1760-1779)	Kyrgyz Khanate	Kazakh Khanate	Inconclusive
Kyrgyz-Kokand War (1764-1831)	Kyrgyz Khanate	Khanate of Kokand	Defeat Kyrgyz tribes are under control of the Khanate of Kokand.
Revolt of Jahangir Khoja (1820-1828)	Uyghurs supported by: Kyrgyz tribes Khanate of Kokand	Qing dynasty	Defeat Revolt is crushed. Jahangir Khoja is executed.
Kyrgyz-Kazakh War (1847)	Kyrgyz Khanate	Kazakh Khanate	Victory Kyrgyz Khanate is re-established. Kenensary Khan is executed.
Kyrgyz Civil War (1854)	Sarybagysh tribe Ormon Khan's allies	Bugu tribe Borombai Biy's allies	Kyrgyz Khanate collapsed Ormon Khan is killed Clashes between the two largest Kyrgyz tribes continue until the Russian conquest of Kyrgyz.

Colonial Age (1855-1916)[]

After the Russian conquest of the Kyrgyz tribes, Kyrgyz were integrated into the Russian Empire. Pressure began on the local population, which resulted in regular clashes between the Kyrgyz and the Russian army. With the outbreak of the World War I, the Tsar ordered to call the population of Central Asia to work to the front. Many disagreed and started the revolt, which was brutally suppressed. After that, the Russian Tsar ordered to exterminate the population of the region and use the land for agricultural needs. Hundreds of thousands of Kyrgyz and Kazakhs were exterminated, while the rest fled to China. Ethnic cleansing ended only with the arrival of Soviet power.

Colonial Age
Conflict	Combatant I	Combatant II	Result
Russian conquest of Kyrgyz tribes (1855-1876)	Kyrgyz tribes	Russian Empire	Defeat Russian Empire annexes Kyrgyz lands.
Andijan Uprising of 1898	Rebels: Kyrgyz Uzbek	Russian Empire	Defeat Uprising is crushed
Central Asian Revolt of 1916	Rebels: Kyrgyz Kazakh Dungan Uyghurs	Russian Empire	Defeat Nearly 50,000 Kyrgyz were massacred during the revolt 150,000 - 200,000 Kyrgyz and Kazakhs fled to China

Soviet Age (1916-1991)[]

With the advent of the Soviet Union, massive repression, rapid industrialization and the struggle against class inequality began. The Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic was established. In 1941, the Great Patriotic War began, to which every third resident of the Kyrgyz SSR was called up. After the victory, the region continued to actively develop. Infrastructure, education, science and culture were at a higher level than ever.

Soviet Age
Conflict	Combatant I	Combatant II	Result
Basmachi Revolt (1916-1934)	Russian SFSR Turkestan ASSR Kirghiz ASSR	Basmachi	Victory
World War II (1941-1945) Raising a Flag over the Reichstag, by Yevgeny Khaldei	Allied Powers:  Soviet Union  Kyrgyz SSR  USA  United Kingdom  Republic of China  France  Poland  Czechoslovakia  Kingdom of Yugoslavia  Kingdom of Greece  Denmark  Norway  Netherlands  Belgium  Luxemburg  Canada  Australia  New Zealand  India  Union of South Africa	Axis Powers:  Nazi Germany  Japanese Empire  Kingdom of Italy	Victory
Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989)	Soviet Union  Kyrgyz SSR  Republic of Afghanistan	Afghan Mujahideen	Defeat

Kyrgyz Republic (1991-present)[]

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Kyrgyz Republic gained independence. the country was admitted to the UN and a number of other international organizations. Due to internal political confrontations, Kyrgyzstan has experienced three revolutions, as well as several major border conflicts.

Kyrgyz Republic
Conflict	Combatant I	Combatant II	Result
Osh Riots (1990)	Kyrgyz	Uzbeks	Ceasefire Riots have been stopped
Tajikistani Civil War (1992–1997)	Tajikistan Popular Front[1]  Russia  Uzbekistan  Kazakhstan  Kyrgyz Republic  Turkmenistan  China  India UNMOT  Austria  Bangladesh  Bulgaria  Czech Republic  Denmark  Ghana  Hungary  Indonesia  Jordan    Nepal  Nigeria  Poland   Switzerland  Ukraine  Uruguay	United Tajik Opposition IRP Democratic reformists Gorno-Badakhshan[2] Jamiat-e Islami Islamic State of Afghanistan Taliban factions1[3] Supported by: al-Qaeda[4]	Military stalemate United Nations-sponsored armistice Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed Rahmon wins the 1999 Tajik presidential election The United Tajik Opposition is promised 30% of the ministerial positions[5]
Batken Conflict (July 30 – September 27, 1999)	Kyrgyz Republic Supported by:  Uzbekistan  Russia	Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan	Victory Terrorists are destroyed Government of the Kyrgyz Republic regains control over previously occupied settlements
Tulip Revolution (22 March–11 April 2005)	Kyrgyz Opposition	Government of the Kyrgyz Republic	Overthrow of president Askar Akayev and Nikolai Tanayev government Kurmanbek Bakiyev became Acting President and Acting Prime Minister Assumption of power by the opposition Kyrgyzstani presidential election, 2005
Kyrgyz Revolution of 2010 (6 April–14 December 2010)	Revolutionaries	Government of Kyrgyzstan	Removal and exile of president Kurmanbek Bakiyev. Change of governmental system from presidential republic to parliament. Kyrgyzstani parliamentary election, 2010
2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes (2010)	Pro-Bakiyev forces[6][7] Tajik contractors[8] Tajikstani Tajiks Russian Tajiks Other mercenaries[9] Uzbekistani Kyrgyz1 Sokh Uzbekistani Kyrgyz Sogment Uzbekistani Kyrgyz[10] Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (alleged)[11] Kyrgyz provisional government Supported by:  Russia[12]  Kazakhstan[13]  United States[14]  China[15]  Turkey[16]	Kyrgyzstani Uzbeks Pro-provisional government civilians[17][18][19][20] Uzbekistani Uzbek civilians1 Sokh Uzbekistani Uzbeks[21][22] Sogment Uzbekistani Uzbeks[10]  Uzbekistan[21] (limited involv.)2[23][24]	Uzbek minority expulsion, Bishkek government regains control over southern provinces[citation needed]
Kyrgyzstan Revolution of 2020	Kyrgyz Opposition People's Coordinating Council Protesters Opposition political parties Pro-Japarov supporters Pro-Japarov political parties Protesters	Government of Kyrgyzstan	President Sooronbay Jeenbekov resigns Mass looting in Bishkek on 8 October 2020 State of Emergency declared in Bishkek The Armed Forces of Kyrgyzstan deploy across the capital Prime Minister Sadyr Japarov became acting president on 15 October 2020 Prime minister Kubatbek Boronov resigns Parliamentary speaker Dastan Jumabekov resigns Elections results annulled on 6 October 2020
Mass Looting in Bishkek (2020)	People's Volunteer Militia	Looters	Lootings have been stopped
Kyrgyz-Tajik border clashes (2021)	Kyrgyz Republic	Tajikistan	Ceasefire

References[]